KunoichiAi
by Elkat
Summary: Tenten, forced to keep her true feelings towards her other kunoichi secret is now paired with one of them as they must protect the princess of Yuri no Kuni, a country that forbids men from entering, from an unknown assailant. Warning: Shojo-Ai!
1. v20 A Kunoichi Only Mission

**Kunoichi Ai**

**A Tenten x Hinata Fanfic**

**Notice to Readers:**

**This chapter started as a rewrite for the first chapter, but ended up being a little bit of a combination of the first three chapters. Not too many things have been changed in the story and I've taken liberties to switch some lines from one character to another to either help establish a character's personality or give a character a line they would likely say in the stead of another. I will continue to rewrite (and possibly condensing future chapters) while continuing the story line.**

**Chapter 1: A Kunoichi only Mission**

**The third training ground of the Hidden Leaf Village was scattered kunai, shuriken and various other thrown projectiles as two kunoichi trained together. This unlikely pairing was the result of various circumstances: Kurenai Yuhi, head jonin of team 8, was on maternity leave, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame were busy with clan related activities, leaving Hinata Hyuga with nobody to train with save for Tenten, whose teammates (Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee) were training independently with their respective mentors (Hiashi Hyuga and Might Guy). Despite the oddity of the situation, they were both chunin and thusly on were on the same levels skill wise (not to mention Tenten has years of experiencing training with Hyuga's as she often trained with Neji). Though Hinata didn't possess the ability to perform the 8 Trigrams Palm Rotation, she made up with her own technique she created herself, the Protective Palms Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. The ability alone to a create an entirely new technique amazed the weapon master alone.**

**One of the first things that Tenten noticed was different from training with Neji was that the young heiress was more easy on the eyes. Despite much of the popular opinion, the weapon master had no interest in the Hyuga Prodigy or any man at that, though in a country renown for its peaceful nature, it was quite closed minded when it came to such matters, so she kept it a secret. In fact many of the hidden villages were like this, most likely to due to out of date mind sets existing since the Great Shinobi Wars where insuring the next existence and the survival of the village was more important that the individual villagers' desires. As much as the kunoichi desired to make advances towards the beautiful kunoichi that catches her eye, she was forced to play a lie that left a foul taste in her mouth. At least she didn't need to pursue men to keep the illusion up.**

"**Thank…you….for….helping…me…Tenten-san," Hinata said between pants. Their training had come to an with each covered in considerable sweat and double over from exhaustion (allowing Tenten to get a considerable view of Hinata's well developed chest). For Hinata, she was so grateful that she didn't miss a single kunai; she was constantly afraid that she would screw up and get herself hurt or worse. However Tenten continually complimented the effort Hinata did which helped her very much. She knew very little of the weapon master besides the fact that she was her cousin's team mate and training partner (though she has heard the general rumors of their relationship). In honesty she admired the outgoing and positive outlook Tenten had on things and, though she could be a little rough at times, her kindness toward her.**

"**It's…nothing," Tenten replied, blushing lightly as she tried to catch her breath. Her body was on fire from the exercise and something more; something she never felt when she trained with Neji. Like a starving lion, she was filled with an unspeakable desire to devour the kunoichi's body (though in more a sensual sense of the word). She could hardly wait to steal a glimpse of the kunoichi's body in the bath house and it was hard to suggest their next course of action without her intentions coming to surface once she was capable of speaking whole sentences, "Why don't we call it a day and wash the sweat off?"**

**Hinata, still trying to catch her breath, simply nodded. Hinata helped Tenten gather up the thrown weapons and reseal them within the massive green scroll the weapon master carried on her back before heading back to the village proper.**

**Shizune rushed about the village, anxiously searching for the two kunoichi she was sent to fetch by Tsunade, the fifth lord Hokage. She had been searching for hours with no success much to her frustration. Neither had gone on mission of as recent and they were not at their respective residences, leaving the kunoichi to question where they could have gotten. She was heading towards training ground three when gentle breeze brought the most horrible of smells wafting towards her. "What's that stench?" the medical kunoichi asked, pinching her nose. It was not long before she caught sight of the two kunoichi she had been sent to find and to her grief as they came close the stench grew stronger. "Where have you two been? I've been looking all over for you!" Shizune chided through a nasally voice. "And what that's smell?"**

"**We were training and were on our way to clean up," Tenten said, laughing nervously. Neither kunoichi could smell the stench of their sweat as they had already grown familiar with it as they were training, though having it pointed out them was still quite embarrassing.**

"**We have no time! Tsunade-sama is waiting for you!" Shizune said, turning about and footing and hurrying back towards the Hokage's residence.**

**The two kunoichi looked to one another and gulped. The fifth lord Hokage was known for her temper and the last thing anyone wanted to do was anger her. They quickly fell in step behind the medical kunoichi. As they passed through the streets of the village, the villagers pinched their noses and gossiped amongst themselves about the stench, causing the already embarrassed kunoichi to blush deeper. They were all too glad to have reached the Hokage's residence.**

**Shizune barely stopped to open the front door as she hurried in and headed straight to the Hokage's office. The following kunoichi had to hurry so that they didn't fall behind. The trio didn't even reach the door before the voices from the other side could be heard. From the sound of Tsunade's voice, she was in a good mood.**

"**Come, Tsunade-obasan, what the hell is up with all these D-rank missions?" The familiar voice of the village's number one hyper active knuckleheaded annoyance whined. Tenten didn't have much of an opinion for the boy that had seemed to have gone from zero to hero over seemingly overnight. She had never really hated him (let alone known of his existence until the Chunin Exams), but she couldn't really wasn't be interested either (as he was male and all). Though from what she had seen during the Chunin Exams and the few missions she had been on with him (or were those just really weird dreams, she could never tell), he was a competent, if not a little eccentric fighter. Hinata on the other hand was infatuated with the boy. She never had the courage to tell him what she felt for him (in fact she fainted the first they meet after he returned from his two and a half years of training with Jiraiya) and she was worried if she did that he would reject her.**

"**I'm sorry Naruto, but the only high ranked mission I have request only kunoichi!" Tsunade replied, the effort to restrain herself audible in her voice.**

"**Kunoichi eh?" Naruto replied. With a puff, smoke streamed from under the door and the shinobi added with a now feminine voice. "How about this? If I stay like this for the entire mission-"**

"_**IF?**_** What if you were to loose concentration and transform back? You would void the contract and cause us to possibly loose a client!" Chided the voice of Sakura Haruno. Tsunade's apprentice in medical ninjutsu, Tenten was looking forward to one day sparring with her, though she personally had to admit the kunoichi was as flat (if not flatter) as the weapon master, a trait she would never bring up to the kunoichi having inherited her master's killer temper.**

"**What kind of pervert would hire only kunoichi anyways?" Naruto asked.**

"**Naruto respect the client's demands!" hissed Tsunade, what little patience she had being chipped away. "If they want kunoichi, I will give them kunoichi!"**

"**Wait a second . . . You've been sending on missions one after another. HAVE YOU BEEN GAMBLING AWAY THE VILLAGE'S AGAIN? HOW DEEP IN DEBT IS THE VILLAGE?"**

"**Na-ru-to! Do you think I would gamble away the village's funds in a few hours?" Tsunade said, barely able to restrain herself anymore.**

"**Considering your loosing strea-" Naruto began before being cut off by the sound of a fist connecting with "her" face with a puff, Naruto exploded through the door and into the connecting hallway. Whatever transformation he had done was canceled when he was punched and it appeared that his nose might have been broken in the process.**

"**WHY YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Yelled Tsunade, her temper reaching its peak. "I'M GOING TO ASSIGN YOU THE MOST DEGRADING D-RANK MISSIONS I CAN FIND UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE!"**

"**F-Forgive him Tsunade-sama! He speaks without thinking!" Sakura pleaded frantically.**

**The kunoichi gulped. Thanks to Naruto's antics, it didn't seem like Tsunade was going to be a good mood for a while. As curious to what kind of mission requested only kunoichi, they didn't feel brave enough to face the woman's rage.**

"**Oh, hello Hinata- Gawd! What is that smell?" Naruto asked, pinching his nose shut.**

'**Na-Naruto-kun thinks I stink!' Hinata's face paled as she fainted, leaving Tenten to catch her as she fell.**

"**NA-RU-TO!" Sakura howled stepping through the hole in the door that Naruto had made when he had burst through it. Grabbing him by the collar of his orange and black jacket, she hoisted him into the air and shook him furiously. "YOU NEVER TELL A WOMAN THAT SHE STINKS! (Even if she does)."**

**Looking out of the door way, Sai watched the scene and thought, 'So women don't like being told that they stink. . .' What most people would consider common knowledge was news to the ANBU Root member. Thanks to a life without much human contact outside of Danzo and his fellow Root members, Sai was like a new born learning how the social world worked.**

"**Here's your mission, if you are successful maybe I'll consider showing you mercy," Tsuande said, the anger in her voice having dropped a bit. Maybe the punch relieved some of the stress, though she was still in a foul mood. From the documents on her desk, she handed Yamato a folder.**

"**Y-yes, Hokage-sama," replied the undercover ANBU. His real name was only known by the Hokage herself and other ANBU members (including retired ANBU such Kakashi Hatake), but that was information that was a safely guarded secret as the ANBU are the hokage's personal guard and servants; if their true identities were known, the security of the village and the safety of the Hokage would be at risk. "Naruto, Sakura, we're heading out. I'll brief on our mission on the way." He said, stepping through the hole in the door with Sai following closely behind.**

"**Yes Yamato-sempai!" Sakura replied, dragging Naruto (kicking and flailing) behind her as she followed her team's (current) leader.**

**Shizune hesitantly knocked on the door.**

**Tsunade, having turned her attention towards the documents on her desk, didn't look up as she replied, "Enter."**

**Shizune opened the door, wondering at the same time if they should just step through the hole like the others did.**

"**Um, Shizune-san, can you help me?" Tenten asked, referring to Hinata. She was not heavy, but it still would be difficult for her to walk and carry kunoichi.**

"**Right!" Shizune said, picking the Hyuga up by her feet and carrying through the door.**

**Catching the scent of the sweat, Tsunade looked up and pinched her nose. Seeing the unconscious kunoichi, she asked curiously, "What happened to her?"**

"**I fear Naruto said something idiotic again," Tenten said, shaking her head. She was grateful that Tsunade sounded less angry than she was handling Team Seven, though she feared that they weren't out of the woods just yet. The kunoichi stepped into the room and laid Hinata down against a wall.**

"**I see. Well this should do," Tsunade said, opening a drawer in her desk and drawing a container of smelling salts. An expert in medical ninjutsu, it wasn't too odd for her to carry such an item with her especially if she had made it.**

"**Thanks," Tenten said, taking the container and kneeling beside Hinata. Unscrewing the cap, she waved the smelling salts under Hinata's nose.**

**The kunoichi's nose wrinkled with the strong scent of the salts as she began to rouse. Slowly opening her milky white eyes, she looked about the room. She recalled what had happened a few moments ago and blushed in embarrassment. Apologizing, she picked herself up with a little aid from the weapon master.**

"**Several mysterious abductions have happening in the Land of Lilies and their princess, our client is afraid she will be the next target. Your mission is to protect her while discovering the culprits and bringing them to justice. Go pack and take a bath; the client and her body guard is awaiting you at the gate," Tsunade said.**

"**Yes Tsunade-sama!" The kunoichi said, bowing. Tenten began to leave the room when Hinata asked, "Um, Hokage-sama . . . "**

"**Yes?" Tsunade asked, slightly irritable.**

**It was too clear that Hinata was going to be muster the necessary courage to ask so Tenten took the lead. "We heard the mission only requests kunoichi, why?"**

"**It's because the Land of Lilies strictly prohibits men from entering their country on the penalty of death. If you wish to know more, ask the client," Tsunade said grumpily.**

"**Thank you!" Tenten said as the kunoichi left the office.**

"**The Land of Lilies?" Shizune asked once the chunin kunoichi had left earshot. "You're sure its right to send them?"**

"**They will need to understand the world outside of this village can and probably will be different. It's not like they will be changed by their experience there," Tsunade replied looking over her documents.**

"**But you-" Shizune began until a sharp glare from the Hokage silenced her.**

"**What happens in the Land of Lilies stays in the Land of Lilies," Tsunade said sternly, ending the conversation.**

**The kunoichi finished preparing for the mission within little less than a hour and met the princess of the Land of Lilies and her bodyguard at the massive double gates separated the village from the outside world. Two exotically dressed met them at the gate. One wore an unusual hat with a stovepipe like base and an upturned brim, a sleeveless robe, extending from an obi-like sash as a loincloth-like flaps in front and back, over another garment with long sleeves extending past the hand and dangled near to her knees, ballooning pants bunched at the ankles and two-toed shoes. The other dressed in a similar manner though her face was mostly hidden by a bandana with a veil covered the side and back of her head. She also wore light weight, flexible armor with vanguards that held the ridiculously long sleeves in place and greaves that bunched the pants at the knee. Combined with the spear and shield she carried, it was clear that the second was a warrior, most likely the bodyguard of the first; the princess.**

**The kunoichi stared at the couple with awe, forgetting momentarily their mission until the warrior looked behind her cautiously in the direction of the wilderness outside the village. "Forgive us for making you wait!" Tenten said, drawing near. As a she got closer, she noticed something out of place with the women. The princess had a deep tan and the air of the soldier, her eyes turning quickly to the weapon master as soon as she opened her mouth while the warrior seemed rather uncomfortable in the armor and slightly frail. However, the kunoichi knew better than to point this out and decided to let the matter go.**

"**We are simply grateful that the Leaf would aid us in our time of need. Besides, we prefer waiting in the village, knowing that we are somewhere safer than in the wilderness, where we feel vulnerable," the princess said, she and the warrior bowing to the kunoichi.**

"**Don't worry; with the two of us around, I doubt the assailant would show his face without thinking twice!" Tenten said confidently, she and Hinata bowing in return.**

"**Unfortunately our comrades said something on those lines and ended up being killed by the assailant without having a change to fight back. You can see how such words bring too little comfort to us at this moment," the princess said in a sad tone.**

"**Forgive me!" Tenten said blushing in embarrassment. "if the assailant is as good as you say he is, then he must be a shinobi!"**

"**Indeed, but do you mind if we continue our conversation on the road? We're anxious to return to our homeland," the princess said, looking towards the warrior quietly nodded.**

"**Of course! Let's set out!" Tenten said with a smile. She wasn't sure what to make of either of the women. They both were highly suspicious and felt out of place. Their clothing was too exotic, there was no way they could pass off as mere travelers; no wonder the assailant easy time picking off their allies. Also if the princess carried herself like a warrior, why didn't her bodyguard. Only the best warriors should be protecting the princess. There was much she was unsure of and she was going to find out.**

**As the kunoichi and their clients left the village, three silhouettes watched them from the shadows.**

"**They're leaving!" Said one of the silhouettes in a cheerfully feminine voice.**

"**We should get rid of them as soon as they are out of sight of the village," added a second silhouette in a gloomily feminine voice.**

"**But that would be no fun!" Argued the cheerful voiced silhouette.**

"**If we do not strike as soon as possible, we will loose our chance," the gloomy voiced silhouette replied.**

**The third silhouette said nothing, but brought a finger to its lips before pointing to the traveling party.**

"**Yes cousin," the two silhouettes replied, nodding their heads. All three silhouettes faded into the shadows.**

**They were nearly out of sight of the village when Tenten asked, "Excuse me, but we didn't introduce ourselves back at the village. I'm Tenten this is Hinata Hyuga."**

"**Nice to meet you," Hinata said meekly.**

"**I am Yurihime and this my bodyguard Yuribuke. Excuse us if we aren't too talkative, but we are like to get as far as possible before nightfall," the princess said in a stressed tone.**

**What kind of fake names are those? Tenten thought though she was careful to keep it from being shown on her face. The way the princess addressed them was growing to agitate the weapon master. Quite informal and evasive, it made a little sense considering that there is a faceless assailant hunting them, but as their protectors maybe they should be more forth coming.**

"**Um . . . If you don't mind, why are men forbidden?" Hinata asked to lighten the subtle intensity rising between the weapon master and the princess.**

**A moment silence passed and the kunoichi feared they clients wouldn't answer. Then Yuribuke answered in a soft, gentle voice that as a smooth and soothing as honey. "Long ago, in a time long past but never forgotten, the Land of Lilies was ruled by a chauvinistic daimyo who thought of women as being no more than child-bearers and housewives and treated them as much. His sexism was so great that he decreed that the men in the land follow suit, else be punished with death. The men followed for they feared for their own lives more than the integrity of their daughters and sisters. The women of our land suffered greatly, beaten and abused at the slightest mistake, tortured endlessly if they refused to be subservient until their wills broke or they died. In a way we all suffered regardless of our gender under the reign of the daimyo . . .**

"**However there was a girl who was too strong-willed to be anyone's slave, but too wise to do anything rash. She was clever and learned quickly how to feign obedience while secretly rebelling against the oppression of her people. She learned how to weaponize the most common household utensils and how to craft poisons from garden variety ingredients. She learned the mindset of the men of our land and how to manipulate them without sacrificing their integrity. However, she was not happy with keeping this information to herself. She passed this knowledge to other women who themselves passed it on to others and so on and so forth until every woman in the land, young and old were armed with very deadly knowledge. Before she knew it, the girl had raised an army and created a revolution that was launched over the course of a single night. The daimyo and his supporters were killed in his sleep and the remaining oppressors were disarmed and bound. By morning, the captured men were given two choices, repent for their crimes and live or be exiled. Many of the men, having grown use to the reign of the daimyo, refused to accept this new hostile change in power and were exiled from the land to never return. The few men who repented were allowed to stay, they were stripped of any power they had to never regain it. The people turned to the girl who had made the revolution possible and she, despite her humble wishes to simply live without oppression, became the new ruler of the Land of Lilies."**

"**You mean one girl had brought forth a revolution in a single night?" Tenten asked, awed.**

"**Well that's how the popular retelling states, but many historians say that it would have taken several weeks, if not months and years for such a revolution to happen, but a single night is far more romantic," Yuribuke said.**

"**Oh I see," Hinata said. "But that doesn't explain why men are forbidden."**

"**Well the revolution left the country weakened and vulnerable to attacks by the neighboring countries so they declared a state of isolationism. Originally the conditions of isolation prohibited all outsiders from entering the country, but of as our generation it has been reduced to only prohibit men. Though our army has gained enough strength to fight off invasions, the scars of the daimyo's reign have yet to healed even now and a tradition misandry has done little to heal those scars," Yuribuke said.**

"**So in short, the cycle of chauvinism comes full circle with women devaluing men," Tenten said, sighing. "But you said that only a few of the original men chose to repent and remain, doesn't that have an impact on your population?"**

"**Indeed it does. You see the combination of cultural influence and now outlawed acts by lower class, the male birth rate has plummeted and forced us to lessen the terms of isolation. We are willing to offer safe harbor to any woman regardless of her political ties to the outside world. Many women who come to our country end up staying, allowing for our population to temporarily stabilize," Yuribuke said.**

"**You know much for a soldier," Tenten said while thinking 'Cultural influence and now outlawed acts by the lower class? I wonder what she means by that. And why is the princess so quiet?'**

"**I-If you don't mind me asking, but what do you mean by 'outlawed acts by the lower class'?" Hinata asked meekly. She wasn't as overly suspicious of the Lily Country's women as Tenten was, but she felt if she knew more about the country maybe some light could be shed on their assailant's identity.**

"**In our society, men are powerless politically and socially. They exist only to serves as a mean to continue our population even though my- the present daimyo tried to change this. She may have lived under the oppression of the daimyo, but she understood that inflicting the same suffering on the men would not make things better," Yuribuke stated sadly. "Male children were undesirable and families that could only afford to raise one or two children would drown any males children that were born . . . It was all that the daimyo could do to outlaw this act."**

**The kunoichi were speechless. To think that such a thing was possible. However there was a feeling that there was something not right that couldn't be shaken no matter how hard the kunoichi tried. "Wait, isn't the present daimyo at as much risk of being targeted as you are?" Tenten asked Yurihime.**

"**She's already dead. The pr- I will be crowned the next daimyo as soon as the assailant has been captured and dealt with. Until then, our people act without a ruler," the princess said somberly.**

**The conversation dropped dead from there and an uncomfortable silence reigned for the remainder of the first day of travel.**

**As the sun began to set, the women began to set up camp for the night. Entrusting Yuribuke with the duty watching over the princess, the kunoichi scouted the surrounding area to insure that were no dangers within the surrounding area that may pounce on them while they slept. It also allowed the kunoichi to speak freely about their unusual clients.**

"**Tenten-san?" Hianta spoke quietly.**

"**Yes?" Tenten replied.**

"**About Yuribuke and Yurihime . . . " Hinata began, but it was clear she hadn't the frankness to speak her mind.**

"**They're keeping a lot of secrets from us," Tenten said taking the lead. "Their names are so fake sounding I wanted to laugh myself to death and they aren't trying to be our friends- which is understandable, but at least they could tell us what the hell is going on!"**

"**I'm kind of scarred," Hinata said, looking at the ground shyly. "What if we fail to protect them? Tsunade-sama-"**

"**We won't fail, not with somebody as skilled like you!" Tenten said. "You're as not as bad as you think you are! I've seen what you can do! You're amazing!" The weapon master didn't realize how she was rambling on until she was about to compliment the Hyuga on beautiful she was. Blushing in embarrassment, she forced her mouth shut and hoped she hadn't exposed her dark secret to her team mate.**

"**Thank you, Tenten-san," Hinata said quietly. Though she still had a downcast expression on her face, she had a small, confident smile that brought warmth to the weapon master. The soft blush filled her cheeks were likely caused by the Hyuga's humble personality or so the kunoichi told themselves. Only Hinata knew how her heart was reacting to Tenten's words of confidence. She didn't understand the feeling or more didn't want to realize what the feeling really meant. "Let's head back," she said in order to change the topic and hopefully let emotions return to normal. Little did they know would await them that night.**

"**Pr- Yuribuke-san, I think Akane-sama lied to us when she said these were the cultural dress of the outside nations," Yurihime said, tugging on her clothing uncomfortably. They sat about a lively campfire waiting for the kunoichi return from scouting.**

"**If she wasn't afraid divine punishment, she would even lie about Inari-sama truly wishes. Besides it could be far worse. She could have us wear as little clothing as possible, though I doubt she wishes to disgrace us with such foolishness," Yuribuke said calmly. She was too embarrassed, but her armor allowed her to hide it more easily. "Though I hope she is safe."**

"**She takes no side in if the isolationism policy should remain in state or be abolished so I doubt she will bear any interest towards the assailants," Yurihime said, nodding her head.**

"**But many of the victims insofar have not voiced their opinion on the matter publically! She can still be a target!" Yuribuke said worriedly.**

"**I know not about the kami, but I'm sure that Inari-sama will protect her. It's that outsider I fear of," Yurihime said, shaking her head. "What was her name?"**

"**Honeko Shiinu I believe is the name if you mean the miko courting Amaya-sama," Yuribuke said. "I understand she bares some controversy if you mean by her choice of okami, but she seems not to pose any threat to our country."**

"**I wish not to speak ill Izanami-no-Mikoto-sama, but to worshiper her not as an okami creation, but the okami of **_**death**_**, that is a little extreme! Can we trust somebody who intentionally walks down a dark path?" Yurihime asked shaking her head. "You have heard of the rumors!"**

"**I have and they are rumors, I doubt nothing more. You need to stop worrying about the littlest thing," Yuribuke said.**

"**Yes, Yuribuke-san," Yurihime said, sighing.**

**As their conversation came to an end, the kunoichi returned.**

"**We've seen nothing suspicious," Tenten as she got within hearing range.**

"'**tis a good sigh, though I fear have to pi- relieve myself," Yurihime got up from where she was sitting.**

"**You shouldn't go alone; I'll escort you," Tenten said.**

"**As you wish," the princess said gracelessly, walking off with the kunoichi in tow.**

**Yuribuke stopped her, grabbing her by her sleeve. Though she didn't speak, she was expressed her worry through the tightness of her grip and the fear in her eyes.**

"**Do not worry, I will return," the princess said softly, gently taking the bodyguard's hand and removing it. Pulling down the scarf-like mask of the warrior wore, she kissed her romantically on the lips.**

**The kunoichi's eyes were wide with surprise and their faces were a deep crimson from embarrassment. Tenten was especially surprised to see something she thought was forbidden being performed before her very eyes and having it appear so natural, so right.**

"**Are you coming?" Yurihime asked, blush alit in her face as she parted from the warrior and turned to face Tenten.**

"**Y-Yes!" Tenten said, stuttering. Lost in a daze of confusion and mystification, she followed after the princess who impatiently walked into the wilderness.**

"**From the look of your face, is it not common for two women to show affection for one another in public," the princess as she walked.**

"**No, it's in fact taboo for two women to even suggest it," Tenten said, trying not to look embarrassed.**

"**As I feared. We've heard rumors about other countries being quite close minded when it came to relationships between members of the same sex, but I never believed they were true. It must be a torture to keep it secret, isn't it?" The princess said with a smile.**

"**W-What do you mean?" Tenten asked, wandering if she knew.**

"**You know how you really feel. I know that not all women think the same as we do, but I can tell you do. Do you have a lover or are you too afraid of being caught to explore your feelings?" the woman said.**

"**I-I don't know hat you mean?" Tenten said, gulping.**

"**How about that Hyuga girl, she seems very kind. A little timid, but she is beautiful and no doubt caring towards her comrades."**

"**I don't like where you are taking this," Tenten said, growing unexplainably angry at the princess.**

"**Forgive me, I didn't mean to upset you," Yurihime said, sighing and shaking her head. "Though you know the more defensive you are about her tells me the more you like her."**

**Before Tenten could deny the woman's accusations, somebody screamed in the direction of the camp.**

"**No!" The princess cried, growing pale. Without another thought or warning, she rushed back to the camp, with Tenten following closely behind her.**

**The camp was overran by dirty women dressed in Qing Dynasty garb and paper talisman covering their faces. They about with outstretched arms ending in long, black fingernails, heading towards Hinata and Yuribuke. Holes in the ground suggest their means of alluding the kunoichi when they were scouting. Hinata struck at the with her gentle palm, knocking them down only for them raise again as if they had not been affected by the chakra induced internal damage. From the worried look on the kunoichi's face, it was quite possible it had no effect on them.**

**Yuribuke oddly enough sat with her legs sprawled apart, shaking badly as she clutched her spear for life. For a seasoned veteran, this was ridiculous. If Tenten wasn't mistake, she was even sobbing hysterically.**

"**GET AWAY FROM THE PRINCESS!" Yurihime screamed, rushing forward and placing herself between the invading women and the hysterical warrior. Taking the spear from Yuribuke's hand, she impaled it into the closest enemy and pushed her back before retrieving the spear and spinning above her like a quarterstaff. The spearhead slashed at the enemies while the staff knocked them down. Unfortunately, the struck enemies pressed onward despite receiving some grievous wounds.**

"**No way!" Tenten said, retrieving the scroll she wore on her back and unrolling it. Tossing it into the air, the scroll unrolled further and released a barrage of weapons.**

**Hinata shielded the women of the Lily Country from the falling projectiles by weaving strands of chakra into a protective net. Their enemies were not so lucky and were impaled mercilessly.**

"**You have some explaining to do!" Tenten said as the barrage was finished. However, their enemies were not finished. To their women's horror, they impossibly rose once more no matter how badly they had been damaged.**

"**They have no tenketsu!" Hinata cried as she continually attacked the enclosing enemy.**

"**Impossible!" Tenten exclaimed, drawing a pair of kama from that had impaled one of the bodies and hacking at the same enemy. To her horror, severed body parts flailed about on the ground and no blood came from the wounds. "What are these things?"**

"**They are the women from our village- the ones who've been abducted!" Yurihime said, staring ghastly into the face of the one of the women she had pinned to the ground with her spear.**

"**They are kyonshi!" Yuribuke cried out. "Corpses animated by when the souls of the deceased fails to leave the body!"**

"**Great zombies!" Tenten said sighing. She continued to hack apart one of the women after another, achieving as much as temporarily slowing them down. Thankfully they appeared incapable of pulling themselves together and lacked enough sentience to turn its attention to their attackers. "Just cut them apart or pin them to the ground!"**

**Hinata and Yurihime followed the weapon master's instructions within little time, all the invading women were either cut to pieces or trapped on the ground. From what they could tell, they had won the battle. Pinning severed pieces to the ground and tying up the few whole bodies, they were gathered them and kept them in close sight.**

"**Again, you have some explaining to do!" Tenten told the Lily Country women angrily.**

"**We're sorry to deceive you, but we had no idea how information the enemy had on us so we thought it would be safer if I pretended to be the princess," Yurihime said, consoling the sobbing warrior. "This is the true princess of the Land of Lilies."**

"**Well apparently they weren't fooled by your little act and thanks to you, we nearly screwed the mission up for us! We have all means to cancel the contract for this you know!" Tenten scolded harshly. An uncomfortable silence befell the group before Tenten spoke up. "However, we will look past this if you tell us everything you know! No more secrets okay?"**

**Yuribuke looked at Tenten surprised. Tears brimmed on the edges of her eyes. "Thank you! May we have some time to compose ourselves?"**

"**You can do that as we move. The enemy probably got our location and will be sending back up anytime soon," Tenten said. "Pack up camp as quickly as possible and let's get going."**

**The four women began to prepare to start moving again.**

"**So they won after all!" said the cheerful voiced silhouette. Only the smoldering ashes of a camp fire indicated that there had been once a camp. "I wonder where they took Itamu-nee's toys?"**

"**They probably sealed them away for transportation. I recalled one of them having a large scroll that could easily fit them all. It matters not. Those mindless dolls were merely a test of power. They have yet to feel full power of the Hitsugi clan," said the gloomy voiced silhouette. "Maisoko-imoto, I'm going to return to report to Shiryu-sama and prepare the next attack. Track them down and prepare to give them a warm welcome. They won't get off so easily next time."**

"**Yes Itamu-nee!" said the cheerful voiced Silhouette before disappearing into one of the wholes in the ground.**

"**Let us continue this game of hide and seek, princess," the gloomy voiced silhouette said before fading into the darkness of the night.**

"**Let us start by reintroducing ourselves. I'm Barahime, the heiress of the Land of Lilies and this here is my faithful bodyguard (and lover) Sizume," the real princess said. She now wore an elegant kimono covered with flower designs something more suiting to a princess.**

"**There is no wonders to excuse the dishonor we brought you by our secrecy," the real bodyguard Sizume said. She wore a well worn suit of do-maru armor befitting to a seasoned warrior with the spear resting familiarly in her arm in addition to a tachi slung across her back.**

"**Those are believable names," Tenten said, trying to not sound suspicious despite having been deceived until recently. "Now mind telling us why a shinobi skilled enough to control a hoard of undead is trying to possibly assassinate you?"**

"**Not everybody supports the state of isolation our country is in and many believe that we should abolish the isolation policy and allow more men into our country. They believe that because we have fight off every invasion so far we should have nothing to fear, but those in favor of the isolation policy, many of the elder generation, say we are only able to survive so long as a nation because we were neutral and kept out of needless conflicts. This has resulted in two competing factions that threaten to divide our country," Barahime explained.**

"**And which side do you stand?" Tenten asked.**

"**I fear I side with my mother who wishes for the policy to stand. I can claim something noble such as thinking about the people or such, but I fear I would do no one justice by lying. This world is not kind to those who fall out of the 'natural order' of life. Many countries only frown on those of us who do not find interest in men so we must hide this secret from others, except in our country. Our land with too few men and prohibition of foreign men has created an atmosphere where our fears can be forgotten. Many of the women who migrate to our country do so not only for protection, but find acceptance and be open about who we are. Until the other countries can accept us, we will hide in the lilies," Barahime said solemnly.**

**Tenten sighed. There she had asked for no secrets and they weren't hiding anything. She knew nothing she could say would sway her opinion for there was much truth in it. Until the world was ready to accept people like- like her, this was their paradise. "It seems not many feel the same way."**

"**Those who oppose the isolation policy never have left our country nothing of the prejudice the outside world bears. If they knew then they, I'm sure that they would see that the isolation policy protects their way of life!" Barahime said, sighing.**

**Hinata walked in silence, contemplating what Barahime had to say. Though she was not interested in women or so she thought, she could understand their standpoint. The idea of having to live a lie saddened her. The fear of being shunned, how was she any different? Her father nearly disowned her for failing to meet his expectations. No parent would desire such a thing from their child, at least not intentionally.**

"**We must make you uncomfortable Hinata-san," Sizume said walking by Hinata.**

"**N-No! I just feel sorry for what you have to go through, but didn't take a risk exposing yourselves to us?" Hinata asked.**

"**No, we have a good intuition to whom we reveal our secrets too. We can also tell when one of our kind is pretending to something else," Barahime said, unsubtly hinting towards Tenten who pretended to not have heard the comment.**

**The four women continued to move until they were ready to collapse from exhaustion before stopping again and setting up camp.**


	2. Confrontation!

**Chapter 4: Confrontation! The Hitsugi clan makes their move!**

Team kunoichi broke camp little before dawn. None of the four women were able to sleep soundly through the night, fearful that the enemy would make another attack and were anxious to get moving again. Despite not getting enough sleep, they didn't feel safe and forced themselves awake. This wasn't a big issue for the kunoichi who were trained to sleep lightly nor Sizume who was used to waking at odd hours and marching for hours at end as a soldier. Barahime on the other hand was slow to wake and seemed to trip over the slightest of obstacle with her senses dulled from being half asleep. If Sizume hadn't offered to carry her, she would have slowed them down greatly.

The kunoichi and their charges were able to cover many miles before noon when they decided to stop and rest. While the kunoichi set up camp, Sizume and Barahime nestled together.

"They really are a cute couple," Tenten said, looking at the women enviously.

"I never thought that two women could…" Hinata replied, her voice trailing off as she blushed.

Seeing Hinata's shy expression caused Tenten's heart to beat quickly. Was she reading too much into the girl's expression or could her fellow kunoichi share her secret. No, she doubted, it was obvious that the Hyuga was deeply in love with Uzumaki Naruto, but she was sure everybody the same of her towards Neji and they were wrong. Tenten, found Hinata's meekness to rather bothersome at times, but cute at other times such as now. The kunoichi was also kind to a fault and strong when she needs to, not mention quite gorgeous. The more Tenten thought about Hinata, the harder her heart pounded and the hotter her body burned.

"Are you okay Tenten-sama?" Hinata asked in a worried tone, seeing how the kunoichi's breathing had become shallow and the sweat the beaded on her face.

"Y, yeah! I, I'm just a little tired… I'm going to wash off," Tenten said, quickly getting up and walking towards a nearby stream. Splashing cold water onto her face, she cooled down her burning body, scolding herself mentally. What are you thinking?! We're in the middle of a mission; there's no time to be thinking of that kind of stuff! Calming herself and regaining her composure, she was started to see somebody standing behind.

It was a tall masculine figure dressed in Manchu attire with a porcelain mask covering its face. Standing with arms intertwined with its wide sleeves, it bowed before pulling out one it's hands which had long, black finger nails and attacked with a stabbing motion at Tenten.

"Hay, Hinata-san," Sizume said, watching as Tenten left.

"Yes, Sizume-sama?" Hinata asked looking at the warrior.

"What are your feelings for Tenten-san?" Sizume asked.

"Well, I don't know… This is the first time we have been sent on the same mission together. From what I've seen, I feel that I can trust her and I wish I had her confidence…" Hinata said, gazing into space as she tried to think.

"Do you like her?" Sizume asked, pressing onward.

"Yes, she seems like a nice person to be around," Hinata answered, realizing the conversation was creeping onto a specific goal, though she wasn't sure what it was.

"How much do you like her?" Sizume asked.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, growing uncomfortable suddenly.

"Do you like as a friend or maybe something more romantic…" Sizume asked in a low tone.

"W, What?!" Hinata asked, blushing deeply.

"What folly," the gloomy voice figured said, a gloomy woman dressed in black Manchu clothes. Her face was a painted like a corpse with stitches drawn her face. "You trade idle conversation while your enemy ambushes you."

"Peekaboo!" Cries the cheerful voiced figure, another an almost exact twin of the gloomy girl, but in white as she bursts forth from the ground and grabs Sizume. "Doton: Hadaka Maiso (Earth Style: Naked Burial)" Suddenly, the girl and Sizume disappear into the ground.

"Sizume!" Barahime cries in horror!

The gloomy girl performs a number of hand seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Teikoku no Yomigaeru (Summoning Technique: Imperial Revival)!" A number of Chinese coffins bursts forth from the ground to open up and reveal the bodies of several women from the likes of the earlier attack. "Leave no survivors." With the command, the corpses hopped out of their coffins attacked Hinata and the princess.

"Byakugan!" Hinata activated her dojutsu and began to attack the hopping undead. What happened to Tenten-sama? She wondered as she attacked the advancing corpses with her gentle fist.

Though Tenten been taken by surprise by the man, she was nearly able to dodge the attack, the claw-like finger nails cutting deep enough into her arm to draw blood. Quickly jumping back, she drew forth the scroll she carried on her back and unrolled it, summoning a number of kunai from it and toss them at the man.

The man dodged the kunai and charged forward, attacking in repetition with both of his clawed hands, force the kunoichi to continuously retreat in order to maintain her range.

Damn it, he's too fast! Hinata might have a chance with this guy… Wait a second, if he's the assailant, why is he wasting his time with me unless… Crap! I got to get to the others! Tenten thought as she repeatedly dodge the man's attacks. Not knowing the fate of her opponents caused her to become distracted, but she already knew she stood no chance again him. He was just as fast as him and could easily dodge her attacks if she were ever to far enough from him. She only one choice, to regroup with Hinata. Rolling up her scroll and returning it to her back, she turned away from the assailant and ran at full speed.

Oddly enough, the assailant made no attempt to chase her but instead began to perform hand signs. Suddenly a number of coffins bursts forth from the ground before Tenten, cutting off her retreat, the coffins continued to rise in a ring around her and the assailant.

There was no need for him to chase for he knew he could trap her, Tenten realized with horror. Fortunately for her, she had a slight upper hand. The coffin bearer was pretty wide, granting her with plenty of space for her to maneuver within, and performing technique required to stand still, creating a gap between them. Unless the assailant could perform ranged techniques (which she doubted), she just needed to keep her distance. Taking her scroll out again and summoning a variety of weapons she began to toss them while running along the perimeter of the barrier.

The assailant dodged the weapons left and right, attempt to close the gap between them, but finding the task difficult with the barrage of weapons be thrown at him. Realizing this, the assailant stopped in the dead center of the ring and began to observe Tenten's movement.

This made the kunoichi uneasy, though as a stand target, he became easier to hit, he was obviously planning the best solution against her.

The assailant made a number of hand signs and then removed his mask. Too Tenten's surprise, his face was Tenten's. She realized that he didn't just have copied her face, but was from head to toe now a mirror image of her. "You are ranged combatant who relies solely on keeping your distance from your opponent and attacking from afar. Now that I have cut off your escape, I figured I fight you on even grounds," the assailant said with Tenten's voice.

Hinata panted as she stood bent over, having defeated everyone of the summoned corpses. She was exhausted, spending most of her chakra against the swarm of enemies.

"You did well, no surprise that you were able to defeat my swarm last night." The gloomy girl said, bowing. "I hope my sister has as much fun playing with you as I did."

Hinata, remembering the girl who attacked Sizume, focused her Byakugan on the ground while keeping an eye on her original opponent. She could not detect Sizume anywhere and could only hope that she was still alive.

Looking in all directions for the other assailant, she was nowhere to be seen, neither above or below ground. I must focus! Hinata thought, pouring the last of her chakra into her eyes. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she say a figure ascending to the surface from behind her. Almost sure that it was the other girl, she was prepared to strike as soon as she surfaced. What surfaced wasn't the other assailant, but Sizume, who was covered in scratches and bleeding.

"Sizume!" Barahime cried running to the warrior's side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay, that bitch tried to kill me, but I was able to beat her! She left as soon as soon as I fought back," The warrior said with a smile.

Hinata, realizing that she had turned her attention from the gloomy girl, turned back to find that she had disappeared. Not having much chakra left and unable to find any traces of the other girl anywhere, she released her Byakugan. "I think they retreated. We must find where Tenten-sama went! I hope she's okay!"

"Er, maybe we should rest… you look pretty tired out." Sizume said, looking at the kunoichi.

"I think we should find her… I don't think that other girl is gone," Barahime said, "and with Hinata-san so exhausted, she has no chance of defending off another attack."

"I guess so…" Sizume said, sounding oddly disappointed at having to leave immediately.

The trio headed towards the river where they last remembered her leaving to.

Tenten was slightly disturbed by the assailant's new appearance, but didn't think too heavily into it. It's just a transformation technique! If he thinks he can scare me by stealing my face and voice, he doesn't know he's fighting against! She thought, summoning another handful of weapons and tossing them at the assailant.

At the same time, the assailant mimicked the kunoichi's actions, summoning the same number of weapons and tossing at her. The weapons collided mid-air and fell to the ground harmlessly. "Do not underestimate me. I have studied your combat style and have prepared a counter measure. As long as you maintain your distance from me, you can evade my attacks and attack me from safely in return. Though I could easily close the gap between us, I find that would exert too much energy from myself from such a prolonged battle."

"You talk to much!" Tenten said. He must have studied my attack pattern so that he could mimic it. Additionally, the fact that he could summon the same weapons that I could means that this technique is able to copy my abilities and weapons… this is no different when I fought that doppelganger back at the Aakatsuki's base. If that's the case then… Tossing her scroll into the air while still holding it, it unrolled mid air and hundreds of thousands of weapons came raining down upon the assailant, making escape nearly impossible. "Souryu Tensakai (Dragon Scattering Destruction)!"

"I see," the assailant said, somehow able to stand as his body is pierced by several weapons. "By tossing your scroll into the air, you can summon a great mass of weapons at once, leaving your opponent no room to escape and insuring almost an instantaneous victory. However, it expends every weapon within your arsenal, leaving defenseless if your opponent has by some means survived. It's a simple technique that requires no hand seals or chakra so I should be able to try it out for myself…"

Tenten was shocked to see her opponent to be still alive. This isn't human! She thought in horror. With that thought in mind, she remembered the undead swarm she had fought the other night. Could he be undead like the rest of them? To make things worse, his ability mimic her own techniques now granted him a chance to use Souryu Tensakai against her! With the coffins blocking her escape, she would surely die!

Fortunately, Hinata and the others could be heard coming, causing the assailant to stop in mid toss. "It seems my cousins have been defeated. That is unfortunate. Forgive me, but I must temporarily retreat. I've enjoyed our encounter, Konoha shinobi. I hope to fight you again…" Returning the mask to his face, he released the technique and threw a smoke bomb, causing a smoke screen to fill the ring. As it cleared, there was no signs of the assailant or the coffins, though the weapons that had pierced his body laid scattered across the ground, no traces of blood anywhere along the blade.

"Tenten-sama!" Hinata yelled, as she saw the kunoichi surrounded by her own summoned weapons.

"Are you three alright?" Tenten asked running to meet the team.

"We were attacked by two women!" Hinata said, explaining their encounter with the sisters.

"I see, it'll only be time before they make their next attack!" Tenten said, "We better rest and prepare ourselves for the next battle."

"Your arm!" Hinata said, seeing the slash marks in Tenten's arms.

"It's just a flesh wound," Tenten said, covering her injury with her hand. "Though we should clean and bandage it before it becomes infected."

Hinata retrieved the small medical kit in which Sakura had given her before they left the village and attended to the kunoichi's wound, taking water from the river wash the wound clean.

After Hinata was done, Tenten went about gathering her weapons and sealing them back into her scroll before Team Kunoichi and their charges set up camp and rested for the night.

In the shadowy corridors of an underground room, two of the three Hitsugi clansmen rested from there battle against Team Kunoichi.

"Everything is going according to your plan, cousin," the gloomy woman said, sewing close the wounds her cousin received from his battle with Tenten. "The poison will kill one of the kunoichi and I'm sure Maiso-imoto is capable of killing the other one along with the princess.

"Though I've lost a good number of bodies back there, I'm sure the kunoichi will make a wonderful addition to my collection. I'm glad the Maiso-imoto left this one in one piece. I should have it ready for our next encounter." Having finished repairing her cousin, she moved over to corpse of Sizume to which she stroked affectionately.


	3. Maiso's Trap!

**Chapter 5: Maiso's Trap!**

Days have passed since Team Kunoichi and their client's had been attacked by the Hitsugi trio and all were on there toes. The slightest sound would cause them to jump to action, expecting another attack to happen at any time. The fact the trio had yet to make an attack in so many days unsettled them. What were they planning, they wandered as they quickly covered ground.

None of them noticed Tenten's worsening condition; not even Tenten herself. They were preoccupied with worrying over when their enemy will strike next to notice. Tenten passed off the weakness she felt everyday as exhaustion and overworrying even though it grew in strength every day. It wasn't until she woke one morning without the strength to move, let alone breathe that she and the others realized something was up.

"She has a fever…" Hinata diagnosed after feeling the kunoichi's forehead. "I don't think we should move again until it breaks. Where did she get it from?"

They had made camp in a nearby cave that turned out to be vacant. They had made it their top priority to insure that Tenten would be as comfortable as they could afford with all of their blankets stacked atop of her to help break the fever.

"You remember that cut that she got from fighting one of those ninjas? Could the wound have gotten infected?" Barahime suggested.

"But we cleaned that as soon as possible," Hinata said. The kunoichi looked at her fallen companion with worry. She wondered if Tenten would survive, praying that she could do something to help.

"I hear that the best way to get rid of a cold is to pass on to your lover…" Sizume suggested with a shrug of her shoulders.

"B-But we're not…!" Hinata said, her face turning deep crimson. She imagined her and Tenten laying in bed, comfortably snuggled into each other's arms. She shook her head violently to banish the image, find her heart beat quickening as she was unexplainably aroused by the thought. W-what's going? What is this feeling? I can't be-

"On second, thought maybe this fever may be caused by poison…" Sizume said grimly, catching Hinata's attention with a start.

"Poison?" Hinata said, surprised. If that was the case with all the moving they've done in the past few days, then- "Byakugan!" Activating her bloodline trait, the kunoichi looked at the Tenten's body seeing to her fear she saw that her chakra flow was greatly disrupted due to some ill effect in the her body. To the kunoichi's knowledge few things could cause such effects, including special types of poisons.

"If it's poison, it must be a custom poison that slowly saps the victim's body of it's strength over a number of days, making quite subtle and deadly in the long run. At this rate, I'm surprised that she still lives. If not treated she may have a few days left to live…" Sizume said ominously.

Barahime and Hinata looked at the warrior in shock and horror. Only a few days left to live! What could they do?

"To makes matters worse, if this is a custom poison, general antidotes wouldn't have be affective. It's already to late to draw the poison out, leaving us one option: finding a cure…" Sizume said with a pain filled sigh.

"We have to do something!" Hinata exclaimed in desperation. The knowledge that one of her comrades was on her deathbed, struggling to live though was bleak sent Hinata's hearting spiraling down into a deep, bottomless chasm of despair. If she died, Hinata would never be able to forgive herself especially now that she realized why the Hitsugi's hadn't attack in some many days; they were waiting for one of them to die to lessen reduce the number of enemies they had to fight.

"It looks like there's nothing that we can do…" Sizume said grimly. "Unless… I've heard of some rumors about an herb that could heal any toxin in the body that grew in these parts. It's quite rare, but they're easily recognized upon sight. If we can get one of these herbs and give to Tenten-sama, then we should be able to heal her.

Hinata looked up in surprising, finding a bright and shining hope at the end of a nearly endless tunnel of despair. "We must get it!"

"Well, it will be dangerous, of any of us who goes out would most likely be targeted by the enemy…" Suzime began. "However we mustn't abandon the princess or Tenten-sama either. Since protecting the princess is more important than saving Tenten-sama's life, you can't go. Out of the two of us, you can protect her better than I. That only means that I am only person we can spare! Besides, I'm the only one who knows what this herb looks like!"

Barahime was greatly shocked by this, but knew the warrior spoke the truth. Fighting back tears, she ran over and kissed Sizume. "Please be careful."

Sizume smiled at the princess and said, "You'll have nothing to worry about me!" Without another word, the warrior left the cave.

"How long is it going to take her to kill them!?" Hissed the male voice impatiently from the shadows of the Hitsugi's lair.

"Worry not. Maiso-imoto may like to get carried away when fighting the enemy, but when forced to play a role, that she keeps a calm head," spoke the gloomy woman. "In fact she should be setting her plan into action anytime now…"

Once she was sure that she had escaped from the sight of cave, Maiso dropped her disguise with great relief. "What gullible fools! Like such a herb would exist!" Biting into her thumb hard enough to draw blood, she drew a summoning contract onto the ground and placed her hand on it. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Teikoku no Yomigaeru (Summoning Technique: Imperial Revival)!" Summoning a number of coffins, Maiso took an interest in one particular, petting and saying "An Itamu-oneesan masterwork; time for your great debut Sizume-san!" A mischievous grin crossed the kunoichi's face as she watched that particular coffin open along side the rest of the others.

Hinata and Barahime watched the area outside of the cave, awaiting the warrior's return. Neither knew the truth or expected to see a number of hopping dead to be coming towards them.

"They so finally attack…" Hinata said. "Barahime-sama, take Tenten and hide her!"

"Right!" Barahime said, grabbing the poisoned kunoichi and dragging her deeper into the cave.

I must protect them! Hinata watching the corpses near. Activating the Byakugan, she readied herself for the swarm. They're relying one me so I can not fail! I will not give up! Once the dead reached the cave's entrance, Hinata made her attack.

Meanwhile, deep within the cave, Barahime hid, clutching the barely conscious body of Tenten to her. Praying that Sizume was safe. Hearing foot steps behind, she spun around, surprised and confused to find Sizume behind. At first she was overjoyed, thinking that the warrior had found the most precious herb to rid Tenten of the poison, but then realized something was wrong. How could she have gotten behind them let alone into the cave without either the swarm of undead or Hinata noticing?

Sizume raised her naginata into the air and swung down at Barahime, forcing the princess to flee the attack. Luckily it had missed Tenten by inches, but as Sizume turned away, Barahime realized she was focused on her.

"Sizume-chan what's going on! Why are you attacking me?!" Barahime demanded, but received no reply, making the princess's fear to deepen. "Please explain yourself!"

Without speaking, the warrior pressed on her attack, striking at the princess with deadly precision, forcing the princess to flee more and more. To make matters worse, the warrior maneuvered and attack in a fashion that directed the princess deeper into the cave which was surprising deep for what it was. With each attack, the princess was forced more and more farther back into the cave until she finally realized that the warrior wouldn't stop or listen to her and decided to run for her life.

In a tear filled flight, she ran as quickly as she could, unable to comprehend why her loyal lover would suddenly turn on her. The worse came to her mind, but she refused to believe it. Instead, she tried to rationalize it, which was quite difficult concerning how much little thought she could spare on the matter. She was so preoccupied with this that she never realized that the cave continued for what seemed forever, gradually leading down below the surface at such a subtle pace until she saw a light before her. Unsure of what the source light was, she had no other direction to turn and ran towards it.

Quickly, the cave opened up into a large, faintly lit room with clear signs of being made by mortal hands. With the change of surroundings, Barahime realized that this was no cave, but a hidden passage to some sort of safe haven. As she turned back to the cave passage she saw Sizume enter into the faint light and saw for the first time the paper talisman that gave her body life.

Falling to her knees, the princess cried hysterically staring at the warrior's lifeless face. She heard footsteps behind her, but ignored them, spellbound by the undead warrior before her.

"I should be angry that you're still alive, but I think I'm more grateful. I get to see the face of my beloved sister who stole what should be mine by being born of the opposite sex die!" Said the male voice of the Hitsugi's client, for once stepping out of the shadows to reveal his face; a more mescaline version of Barahime's face.


	4. The Exiled Prince, the Truth Revealed

**Chapter 6: The Exiled Prince; the Truth Revealed**

Hinata stood panting, having defeated all the corpses with little trouble. I hope Barahime is okay, Hinata though as she ran down the cave. With the Byakugan activated she could see all around, including underneath her provided she focused her attention on the ground. Seeing no enemies left at the cave's front, she was worried. She doubt that they had been hoping for the dead to finish her off since she had beaten them once before and had the advantage of having the cave's entrance to limit the directions they could attack from. Why do this unless… They wanted to distract me! Looking at the ground she saw a humanoid below her ascending at a rapid pace. Leaping out of the way to evade the attack from the younger Hitsugi twin, she struck the assailant with her gentle fist.

Taken by surprise, the Hitsugi shinobi was sent flying back into the cave tumbling across the ground like a rag doll. "You're as good as Itamu-nee says!" Maiso said with a wide grin on her face. "You even turned hit my tenketsu to limit my chakra flow and stun me! I hope Neesan turns into a masterpiece like she did with Sizume-san."

"Masterpiece?" Hinata asked, worried that the worse has fallen the female warrior.

"Before the rigor mortis can set in or begin to decay, she washes the entire body in its insides with preservatives and chakra infused chemicals that continually creates calcium ions to fuel the contractions of the muscles. It's a lengthy procedure that takes a few days to do, but the end result is worth it. Though I hated pretending to be Sizume-san and be nice to you guys the whole time!"

Hearing what the kunoichi said, Hinata shocked. "Pretending to be Sizume-san… a number of days… "Then the herb?" Hinata asked, realizing that they all had been duped.

"I made it up. I needed an excuse to leave our own hideout. Though I wouldn't worry about you friend. Sizume was only instructed to kill the princess," the kunoichi said with a smile. "I wander how many little pieces did she cut her up into!" Maiso giggled in a sick manner.

"No!" Hinata cried, running down the cave.

"What a foolish girl, just turn your back and drop your guard to an enemy. Well it doesn't matter. I lost as soon as she countered my attack. Besides, our favorite of Itamu-neesan's masterpiece, Shiryu will take care of her." Maiso said with a laugh.

As Hinata ran down the cave, she couldn't believe how foolish they all were. It will be all my fault if anything happens! If only Naruto-kun was here, she thought. Though she idolized the young shinobi so much, it seemed that her mind refused to show his face. Instead the face that came to mind was Tenten's who probably was no doubt sleeping in a peaceful sleeping as death encroached upon her. Forgive me! Hinata thought, pain filling her heart. Tears brimmed on the edges of her eyes as her sadness began to fuel a strong remorse. NO! I MUST PROTECT THEM! EVEN AT THE COST OF MY OWN LIFE I MOST PROTECT THEM!

A lone figure standing in faint light stopped Hinata. From the way he dressed, Hinata could easily guess he was one the enemies. It was their Hitsugi's cousin silent cousin. Bowing before Hinata the mysterious shinobi formed hand signs and removed his mask. To Hinata's surprise, the shinobi's face was hers. Not only his face, but his entire body became a copy of her. "My older cousin had told me everything about your fighting style the last time we fought. Though it seems you have a bloodline, I think I can compensate for the difference in our abilities." The shinobi said in Hinata's voice. "I will enjoy our fight, Hyuga-chan!"

"Yes, you who lived a life of comfort and luxury that should have been mine! You who was pampered and loved when I was left to fend for myself once I grew old enough to do so and never loved by my foster mother! You who stole my life!" the man hissed, grabbing Barahime by the throat and hoisting her into the air. "You know nothing how much I suffered because of you! But now, now I can have my revenge! I'll make you suffer as much as you made me!"

The princess, still lost in the shock despair of losing her beloved Sizume, made no attempt to fight free from the man's iron grip. Presently wasn't aware that anybody except her and Sizume existed and couldn't feel the pain caused by her own brother choking her slowly death.

"Yes, hadn't you been born, our mother would have changed the laws our country just for me and I would have grown up to be first male ruler in a long time. Of course, I wouldn't allow any other men into this country; why should I when I could have all of the beautiful women to myself? Yes, exile the ugly ones and keep the rest as my personal slaves…" the man said with a twisted laugh. "As soon as you die, I'll have the Hitsugi bring you back and denounce you're right to the throne and pass the crown to me! Yes, it's still possible, but you must die first!"

What brought a reaction to Barahime wasn't what her brother said, but the tears that began to fall down Sizume's lifeless face as the dead warrior's body began to shake. "I-I won't l-let you k-kill her!" the warrior cried, charging the man clumsily. "I will not let you kill the one I love!"

"Sizume…" Barahime whispered, a sad smile crossing her face.

Hinata and in the imposter traded blows with incredible speed. Though the imposter was incapable of channeling his chakra through his hands like Hinata, she suspected that even in this form being hit by him could dangerous. Hinata even had an upper hand with her Byakugan, but so the enemy. Where she had exhausted herself in the previous battle against the swarm of undead, the enemy seemed to be at full power. Eventually her opponent would outlast her and at the that moment, it would all be over. She had not but only one choice: defeat her opponent before it was too late.

Remembering what Tenten had told her about her own battle against the same opponent, it seemed that the opponent was capable of performing all techniques the opponent can provided that they've seen it first. Since he claimed to be told about her fighting style, he must have in some way also experienced her techniques meaning that Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho" (Protective Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms was out of the question since she was forced to use it against the swarms in the three attacks). Also seeing that he recognized her as a Hyuga meant that using "Hakke Sanjuni Sho" (Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms), to which was purely a weaker form of Hakke Rokujuyon Sho (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four palms), would not be effective either. All that was left was… "Juho Soshiken!" She cried, charging her opponent while spinning. Chakra massed around her hands, resembling the heads of two tigers at it struck the imposter square in the chest, knocking across the cave into one of the walls.

"A new technique to which I cannot copy or dodge, good planning Hyga-chan! I don't know how much longer you can fight or how many times you use that technique, but it doesn't matter. I've stalled long enough, though it don't worry; the princess will be fine. It's not she we are after," the imposter said with a gentle smile.

"What?" Hinata said, confused to what her opponent had said.

"You see our real mission was…" the imposter began returning the mask to his face to dispel the transformation and then removing it.

The man was shocked at the sudden change of events and couldn't move, though he didn't realize that was because a pair of hands that extended from the ground clutched his legs and prevented him moving until it was too late.

With a downward slash of her naginata, the warrior cut off cleanly his hands, causing Sizume to fall the ground. Turning the naginata so that bladed faced towards the sky, the warrior slashed up, nearly cutting the man in half, but nonetheless inflicting a fatal wound.

As the hands in the ground let go him, the man fell to his knees. "W-what's the meaning of this!"

"You were our real target all along; your mother had hired us long before you did on her death bed, wanting to protect her only heiress," Itamu said as emerged the rest of her body from the ground. "Our mission was to locate ever one who wished to permit men to enter Yuri no Kuni and eliminate them. Also on the chance that you appear by one way another in the country we would draw close to you in order to learn of why. If it became clear you are a threat to the country, we were to eliminate you as well, but not before confirming it."

"You traitorous bastards!" the man cried, coughing up blood as he drew closer to dying.

"You are fool to think that you could simply find a group of Iwagakure shinobi wandering a foreign land just for the sake of it! Even if you promised to pay us three times our original client, we obey all orders of the Tsuchikage and never abandon a mission given to us! For ignorance we controlled you like a marionette." For once the gloomy woman smiled, a hideous, mocking smile. "Let me send you to hell personally…" Drawing a scalpel from her clothes, Itamu brought it to the man's forehead and killed him personally.

"Of course none other us and daimyo knew about the mission so that we could locate our targets easier and eliminate them. In fact, all of our jiang shi you defeated were once them," said a girl looked much like the Hitsugi twins, but was clearly older than either and wore the robes of their cousin. After removing her mask, her body transformed, becoming feminine. "Because of nobody knew the real reasons of our actions, the princess had hired you to protect fearing that we were going to target her next."

"Then why did you kill Sizume?" Hinata asked.

"So that she didn't have to suffer anymore. She never told the princess, but she was slowly dying from an incurable sickness. Before hand though we had informed her of our true goal and offered she wanted to help us. She gladly agreed though begged us to let her be the one to lead her to our target. It seemed that didn't trust us completely, quite shrewd of her in fact, and wanted to insure her safety. Oh by the way, before it's too late, I suppose I should give the antidote to our poison. Consider it a reward for defeating me," the kunoichi said, pulling a small vial from her clothes and threw it to her.

Hinata caught the vile in her hands and looked at it suspiciously.

"Don't worry, why should I give you something to kill somebody whose already on their death bed?" the kunoichi with a reassuring smile. "However, there's a special method to which you have to apply it. It's a secret of our clan so don't tell anybody!"

Though Hinata wasn't sure if she could trust the kunoichi, she had no reason to give away clan her enemy's secret when one of them tells her herself. "I won't."

"Good, you must remove the stopper and…"

After the exiled prince's death, Sizume ran over to Barahime and removed the served hands from around her neck. "I'm so sorry for what I had to do, milady! I couldn't bare the thought of them capturing you so I chased you here myself! What I have done is unforgivable!" The undead warrior cried, tears streaming down her face.

"I thought I had lost you Sizume!" the princess said, tears streaking her face. "I didn't think I could live without you!" The princess embraced warrior tightly and cried into her bosoms.

"But milady! We cannot be together any more! I am no longer alive! I'm a monstrosity that will outlive you!" The warrior said, unconsciously wrapping her arms around the princess to comfort her.

"It doesn't matter! I will always love you no matter you become! As long as you're with me, I'll be happy!" Barahime exclaimed looking into the lifeless eyes of her lover with unerring determination.

"Our cousin would envy you, Sizume. Her love was not so open minded," Itamu said with a sad tone of voice. "Our mission has been completed, but we must still return to the capital to confirm it with our village. Since I doubt your original guards still live, as an unfortunate result of pretending to serve our target, we shall escort you there as well. I just need to gather the rest of my team who should be returning anytime soon."

Tenten slept peacefully, seeming to not have been awakened by all the fighting that had happened throughout the echoing cave. The fact that her breath was calm brought hope to Hinata's heart.

Sitting beside the sleeping kunoichi she followed the instructions given to her by her former enemy, Hitsugi Shiryu.

"You can't simply apply by itself for it's in fact the actual poison we use, however if dissolved in saliva, it transforms into antitoxin that will cause the body become immune to the poison and remedy its effects. Of course with how long it's been in her body, her saliva has already been compromised thus will cause the poison to dissolve so in other words you'll need to dissolve yourself and administer it to her via mouth-to-mouth," Shiryu's voice said in Hinata's memory. Pouring it into her mouth, Hinata blushed, thinking of what came next. The poison dissolved relatively quickly, allowing for it to be applied incase any of the Hitsugi's allies were to become infected by their own poison. Even though this was merely a means to save her comrades life, Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that she was performing some sacred act of a forbidden ritual. Pinching Tenten's nose so that she be forced to breath through her mouth, Hinata leaned down and pressed their lips together.

To Hinata's shock, Tenten suddenly opened her eyes at that very moment, her face turning deep crimson in color. Hinata, having already transferred the antidote, sat straight up and attempted to explain the situation without very much luck.

"They're cute when they're young," Shi Long said a smile, walking up to them.

"Surely they're in denial!" Maiso said, massaging the area that Hinata had hit her.

Though Tenten didn't recognize either of them especially with Shiryu in her true form, she recognized there clothes. Drawing a pair of kunai, she took a defensive stance, not at first realizing that she could move freely.

"Hold on now! We're not enemies!" Shiryu said, waving her hands before. "At least not anymore!"

"So they are still alive after all," Itamu said gloomily as she walked down the cavern with the princess and warrior in tow. Seeing her cousin unmasked, she added in a obviously surprised tone "I never thought you'd reveal your true self to the enemy!"

"Don't worry, I trust they won't tell anybody about my secret especially after I gave them the antidote. However, we will have to improve the rate of poison in case we ever fight again," Shiryu said before returning the mask to her face and becoming the androgynous and silent person she had been before.

"What's going on?" Tenten asked looking at the three members of the Hitsugi clan were ever so casually conversing with one another.

"I-I can explain!" Hinata said, still blushing.

A full moon lit the night as a small sailboat approached the shore of Yuri no Kuni. Each wore hooded cloaks that hid their identity and provided protection from the weather.

"If our information is true, then Kyozame Kuroki and her allies have escaped into this country," said one of them, petting a cat that laid curled up in her arms. "Because of the country's laws, no men can enter reducing the number of hunter nin that can pursue her. This is incredibly thought out for a mindless killing machine Kyozame to come up with such a plan, she's purely amazing."

"It's not her plan then. She cares only about killing and doesn't try to cover her tracks. The fact that knowledge about her whereabouts and any current mysterious murders that have reported have ceased to exist until now means somebody's gone to the length to shield her from us… No matter who this master may be our missions stands and we shall only pursue Kyozame herself," the other said.

"You know, this country has a special tradition… They say when two women confess their love one another that nothing can separate them!" the first said nestling up against the second.

"P-Please remember we're on a mission!" the second cried embarrassedly. "We have no time to play around!"

"Ah, you're no fun!" the first said in disappointment.

As they nearly reached the shore, the two figures looked determinedly at the land thinking, You will pay for your crimes against the village! Directing the sailboat towards a nearby village, they both reached into their hoods and each removed a mask signifying them as hunter nin from Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist.


	5. Hunters of Mist

**Chapter 7: Hunters of Mist**

Though their mission had ended, Team Kunoichi decided to take some time to rest and enjoy the land especially since the new Yurijo'o, Barahime, insisted upon it threatening to cut all ties with Konoha if they refused. Though Yuri no Kuni wasn't a significantly powerful nation itself, Konohagakure treasured its alliances. Besides it was no more than 1 or 2 days. For Tenten, this was the perfect opportunity to relax and think about all that happened during the mission. Though Hinata had explained to her what happened, the Hyuga would have no means to explain what the weapon master was feeling.

If only I could live here, Tenten thought as she sat in a massive public bath. The people are so nice and they don't really care what your sexuality is. It was true that many women in the nation where either homosexual or at least bisexual, but there were a number of heterosexual women who lived here too. Though many of the later tend to be either temporary, using the country to recover from what evils men laid upon them before returning to their homeland; sort of like rehabilitation. Indeed, many of the tourists that come here are such women who have suffered unimaginable acts by the hands of men. Though they were initially straight, many of them still participated in same sex relationships during their stay to return to their normal lives once they left.

"Maybe I should be like them," Tenten said, but she knew if did, she could never bring herself to live such a lie.

"Be like who?" Asked Hinata, walking to the bath's edge wearing only a towel which made no attempt to hide the kunoichi's shapely body. Once again Tenten found herself staring at the Hyuga's full breasts turning away embarrassedly once she realized it. "Is something wrong?"

"She's just embarrassed that she's so flat-chested!" Itamu said as she walked up behind the Hyuga and cupped the sides of her breasts in each hand, "Not all of us can be _gifted_." She squeezed them for emphasis.

"They say that if you rub them every day, they'll grow!" Maiso said, emerging from the water with a great splash and cupping Tenten's nearly non-existing breasts in her hand. "Though I have to say, your as flat as a washboard!"

"What are you two doing here?!" Tenten asked as she and Hinata simultaneously broke free from the Hitsugis' groping hands. "Didn't you return to your village?"

"No, the Daimyo has invited us to stay for a few days," Itamu said. "It's not like we enjoy staying in this country… these girls are too open in their 'sins' for our tastes. I bet not enough half of them knew what it is like to keep your true feelings secret."

Tenten was surprised, she never realized there was others like her; those who had to keep their attraction towards women a secret and live a lie. However what stuck in her mind was how she had referred to as "sin".

It took both the Konoha kunoichi a while before they realized that Itamu had in her hand Hinata's towel. "Eek!" Each of their faces turned crimson red for entirely different reasons as the Hyuga kunoichi quickly hid her now naked body under the water.

"Oh how modest! That's so kawai!" Maiso cried, wading over to hug Hinata. However she was stopped as Tenten firmly grasped the kunoichi by the shoulder, unconsciously flashing the Hitsugi a threatening look.

"You should really learn to respect other people's space, Imoto-chan!" Itamu scolded.

"But I can't help myself oneechan! Whenever I see something cute, I just want to smother it until stops breathing!" Maiso said in a sickly warm smile.

The Konoha kunoichi shuttered at the last words of her sentence, wondering how much of that statement she truly meant. "Um, Itamu, if you don't mind me asking… You call refer to er, you know _it_, as a sin. Does that mean you're…?" Tenten asked hesitantly.

"Yes, my sister and I are both lesbians damned to live in a homophobic country. In fact we are each other's lovers, but only because we didn't want to risk being discriminated against like our honorable cousin was," Itamu said, her usually emotionless voice noting a sound of sadness.

"But can't you be open about it here?" Hinata asked, embarrassedly. Though she had intended to ask her towel back, hearing the Hitsugi's hardship made her forget all about it.

"You mean search for love in this cute little nation? This isn't one of those Yuri manga set in some all-girl's school! What if we did? We would have to return to the village eventually or be marked as rouge ninja and we can't bring her back! Outside of this country, we'll be forced to live a lie! For us who have done so for all our lives, it's nothing new, but for the poor girls we taken, they could never be happy! And lastly, long distance relationships never work out so we shall suffer in silence for it all we can do," Itamu said with an intense, unexpected anger to it.

"I, I'm sorry," Hinata said under her breath, flinching.

"Hay, it's not her fault! She's not like you! She doesn't know what it's like have her heart ache with the pain of loneliness! To tell herself that's it wrong to be attracted towards another girl! She doesn't know any of that, but nor do you know how she suffered!" Tenten yelled, her anger uncontrollably bursting.

Silence descended the four girls.

"Come on now, let's not get so worked up," Shiryu said, appearing in as little as a towel, taking her cousins by surprised.

"Cousin-sama! Where's your mask?" Itamu asked.

"We're amongst allies now. There's no need for me to be hiding my identity. Besides, that mask gets sooo stuffy! I've completed the mission report so I decided to take a dip! Forgive me for listening, but your out of place Itamu-chan. It's true that Hinata-chan knows nothing of our suffering, but it doesn't mean she suffered in her own way no? Besides I heard Konoha is as homophobic as Iwagakure. It must be so much trouble pretending what you're not isn't Tenten-chan." Shiryu said, removing her towel and climbing into the bath.

"W-what are you talking about?" Tenten said, trying her best to defend herself.

"It's no use living a lie, but if you want to do something that futile, then I won't stop you!" Shiryu said shrugging.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tenten cried, her face bright red.

Is she saying that Tenten-sama is- Hinata thought, but her thoughts were interrupted by a splashing of water. At first she thought it was one the Hitsugi twins- either Itamu getting in or Maiso getting out, but the sound originated from across the bath where the steam was so thick that hid the area in a warm mist.

"Oh man, this is great!" a voice said hidden behind the mist said. "I couldn't imagine spending another day on the road. My tongue is surely no substitute for hot water! You should try it Tsukihime!" The voice was answered by a cat's mew.

"We can't be staying here for too long. The fact that this town still stands is proof that Kyozame can't be close to here. We must find her at once and bring her to justice for her crimes against the village!" said another voice.

"Ah, you're no fun! All work and no play makes Master a dull kitten!" the first voice said. "Besides, we got some really reliable information that some odd people have come here."

"I don't think the local cats count as reliable informants," the other voice said.

"Ah, you're so mean!" The first said, sniffling.

"I-I'm so sorry! Please don't cry! I'll do anything, just don't cry!" the second voice said.

"Anything?" The first voice said in a low voice, sly tone.

The sound of somebody through the water could be heard.

"Hay! What are you doing? Wait, don't do that! What if somebody comes here?" the second voice said.

"Come on Master, we don't have to pretend any more…" There was a sound of lips connecting and a series of inappropriate sounds began to emit through the mist.

The five kunoichi looked at the mist shrouded couple with a sense of shock.

Th-they're-! Hinata thought, dumbfounded.

"Oh my, these gaijin are so naughty!" Shiryu said with a giggle.

"Oops! It looks like somebody was here already!" the first voice said.

"What?" the second voice cried in shock.

The steam lifted, revealing two women with long black hair, one of them with her arms wrapped about the other. On the pools edge, a black cat laid curled up on a towel, trying to sleep and having a bad time at it.

"We're so sorry!" one the girls said, the owner of the second voice, as she pushed off of her. "We didn't anybody else was here!"

"It's so kawai when master gets embarrassed!" the other girl, owner of the first voice, said, wiggling about. "She's so irresistible!" She jumped onto the first girl who turned her back to her to face the kunoichi, knocking her down into the water. Their bodies was splashing for a matter of time before it died down followed by bubbles rising to the top of the water for a few seconds before it too stopped.

The kunoichi looked to one another worriedly, not sure if the two women were still alive. Just as Hinata was about to use the Byakugan, the girls' heads burst from the water gasping for air.

"My, these gaijin are so funny!" Shiryu said, giggling.

"I think it's time to get out," the first girl said, climbing out of the bath.

"Ah! I was just beginning to have fun!" the other girl said, following after her.

The women walked out of the bath and headed back to the changing room to get dressed. To the kunoichi's mixed embarrassment and amusement, any towels they had been wearing was now lost. Not soon afterwards the kunoichi decided to get out themselves.

Despite the full moon that lit the night sky, it was dark, ominously so in fact. For the guards standing at their posts, they were unnerved for they could feel it. Something was near, something with an intense killing intent. There was no sounds of life except for their own breathing to be heard as their eyes shot from corner to another expecting a demon to jump at them at any second. Suddenly, laughter could be heard echoing through the village.

This was not the laughter a child at play or lovers sneaking out to rendezvous, but a high pitched, heart wrenching laughter of madness and death. What made things worse was that it came from inside the village.

A low laugh from behind the guards caused them to jump, drawing their weapons and ready to face a demon. What stood before them was a woman dressed in tattered funeral clothes and wrapped in old bandages smiling a toothy grin. Two pricks of light emitted from her empty eye sockets as she looked each with undisguised malice. The chain that was attached to an iron collar around her neck rustled, the last, broken link amazing remaining in place. With a sharp laugh she impaled each of the guards with her bony hands that ended in long, black claw-like nails before they could react. They last things the guards saw before passing on the next world was the blood stained streets and the mist forehead protector wrapped about the woman's waste.

"You're enjoying yourself tonight," said an albino miko dressed in red. She sat in the midst of corpses petting a skull she held in her lap.

"Why feel so alive when I kill!" the woman said, throwing her head in a maniacal laugh.

"I wouldn't be surprised, it might as well be that you're stealing their life when you kill them!" the miko said, smiling at the woman. "Don't you agree, Mimi?"

Mimi, a kunoichi with shaggy black hair dressed in an unzipped zippered hoodie over a mesh shirt and camouflage patterned cargo pants, didn't reply. Out her only eye (the other covered by her forehead protector that she wore diagonally), she looked down at the skeletal dog standing beside her. By the markings on her face, there was no doubt she was from the Inuzuka clan. _Shiroko…_

Despite being clearly dead, the skeletal dog looked up at its mater and nuzzled its fleshless nose in her leg.

"It's okay, girl…" Mimi said, kneeling down and petting the undead dog on the head.

"To bad there's no body left," the woman in tattered white said, sighing.

"I guess its time to move on the next village. I'll select the bravest of these women and revive them," the miko said, standing up.

"I can't wait," the woman said with a cruel grin.

Tenten woke in a cold sweat from a nightmare that she could she could no longer remember now that she was awake. However she knew for sure that it was most disturbing things she had ever dreamt in her entire life. Fearing that the nightmare waited for her to return, she decided to take some time to clear her mind and possibly banish the nightmare (whatever it might be of) from her rest. Making sure that her yukata was tightly tied, she slipped into a pair of slippers left the room of the inn that she and Hinata was staying at.

She began walking down the hall, but didn't make it past the door of the Hyuga's room. Out of either curiosity or worry, she decided to listen to whatever was happening in her team mate's room. The first thing she heard was the soft, rhythmical breathing of the sleeping kunoichi; a truly pleasing sound. Pushing the sound aside, she listened harder, searching for anything that could suggest that was in any danger. After a long moment and no change in the sounds emitting from the kunoichi's room. Relaxing, Tenten continued her stroll down the hallway, glad that Hinata was safe.

"_It must be so much trouble pretending what you're not, isn't Tenten-chan."_

The Hitsugi's words echoed through her mind. A part of her wanted to answer "It's too unbearable", but she feared of what Hinata would think of her. She probably already knew and made the thought made the kunoichi's heart beat faster. _This feeling? Could I- No, she wouldn't be interested… She's in love with Naruto- Why did I have to be born a girl? _She thought, aimlessly wandering. She was so lost in thought that once she remembered to watch where she was going, she realized she hadn't a clue where she was.

The inn was impressively large and held the reputation for being most popular tourist attraction in all of Yuri no Kuni. Before Tenten could back track and, hopefully, find her way back to her room, she was distracted by the sound of clashing blades. The sound came from a nearby room in which Tenten crept to, drawing a kunai she had hidden in her sleeve before leaving her room. Slowly she opened the sliding the door as quietly as possible just enough so that she could see what was happening.

Other than the moonlight that shined through the window, the room was too dark to make out any details except two silhouettes were locked in battle, each carrying two small swords. By the kunoichi's limited knowledge of swordsmanship, she could only determine that they were skilled, but something seemed odd about their movements. After watching each intently, she noticed that for every move one took the other mirrored and that they blades always connected in a perfect performance.

Tenten was forced to leap away as something slashed through where she had been standing. The assailant was humanoid in shape, but stood in the same fashion as a quadrupedal animal. Tenten dodged an attack from another assailant that looked the same as the first. Flanked, she tried to determine her next actions when a pair of blades cut through the paper walls and formed an "X" pattern over Tenten's neck, pinning her to the wall.

"Before we kill you, tell us where Kyozame Kuroki is!" one the assailants on either side of the kunoichi asked.

"Who?" Tenten asked, not recognizing the name.

"Don't play dumb with us? We know that's she here! Know tell us where she is and we'll make your death swift and painless!" The assailant demanded. Right afterwards, the assailant was knocked aside by another figure.

The figure was tall and masculine, turning out to be- in no surprise, Shiryu who was once again wearing her mask.

"Can't a kunoichi get any sleep?" said a very disgruntled sounding figure, holding something small to the throat of the other assailant. By the gloomy tone of the voice it was no doubt, Itamu.

"I was just getting to the best part too!" said another voice, the blades that held pinned Tenten to the wall suddenly slipping away.

"Master!" cried one of the assailants.

The assailant's voice echoed through Tenten's head and triggered memories from a few hours back. "Don't hurt them! I think it's all one big misunderstanding!" Tenten said.

"You can say that again," Itamu said stepping into the light holding a black cat by the scruff of its neck. The cat hissed and growled, trying its hardest to escape the kunoichi's grip. "This was one of them."

Shiryu stepped forward holding a mask that the assailant had been wearing in her hand. It was the type of mask that only Hunter Nin from Kirigakure would where.

"Looks like you have some explaining to do Hunter-chan!" Maiso said cheerfully.

"We are currently on a mission to seek out Kyozame Kuroki and kill her, taking her head back for proof. She has caused the deaths of several of our own men including those who've already been sent after her. To make matters worse, she has some unknown ability to animate those she kills and turn them into mindless monsters that know only to kill… They don't discriminate against age, gender or if relation, they kill everyone they see…" spoke the woman from the baths. Her name was Tachi Yurotora and claimed to be the only survivor of her clan. She wore a black kimono and hakama and wore two kodachi at her sides, an odachi on her back and a tachi across her waist from behind. Her bangs fell in front of the metal plate of her forehead protector hiding it, more likely out of fashion rather than any practical meaning. Every inch of her radiated with the aura of a master swordsman.

The Hitsugis (including an again unmasked Shiryu) looked to one another and shook their heads. "We don't know of anyone by that name and we know _everything_ of our rivals," Shiryu said, stressing the emphasis on "everything" to give it credence. "Besides, zombiism is not too uncommon in this world of ninjas, but the question is how she does it."

"We're not sure of that ourselves…" said the other hunter nin, a girl that wore minidress-like kimono with overly long sleeves, a black dog collar attached with a brass bell and stylish greaves. Her name was Nekomi and she referred to herself to being "Tachi's pet" despite the other kunoichi's denial of such. She wore her forehead protector as a bandana with a pair of cat-ears attached to the top. The small black cat, Tsukihime, lay in her lap curled in a ball fast asleep.

"And you attacked me thinking that I knew something about her…" Tenten said, "That means she's not alone."

"No, Kyozame is a cold hearted killer that rarely troubles herself with thoughts other than how she's going to torture her next victim before she kills them. The fact she simply disappeared without leading a trail of blood to follow and now simply reappear in somewhere that nearly have of our available shinobi cannot enter without causing an international event means that somebody's leading her, probably with promises of being able to kill as much as she wants. This individual is possibly has a number of other followers like Kyozame who are possibly nuke-nin themselves and will protect their leader with their lives," Tachi said.

"Why did she only send you two?" Hinata asked.

"Because we're the best!" Nekomi said, winking and smiling proudly.

"Because I demanded to be the one who takes her head," Tachi said, drawing her blade and looking at it with cold determination. The sadness in her eyes spoke volumes of her suffering. The path of an avenger was never easy.

"Oh Master! You make me so hot when you get so serious!" Nekomi cried, pouncing on the swordswoman.

"Wait! Not here!" Tachi cried, barely having enough time to sheathe her kodachi as the girl's hands tried to work their way under her robes.

Hinata and Tenten's face turned bright red and the Hitsugis (even including the normally cheerless Itamu) chuckled at them the Kiri girls.

Tsukihime, who had sensed this beforehand her master's actions and jumped off her lap, was now wandering about the room. Suddenly the hair on the cat's back stood on end as it hissed violently.

"There here!" Nekomi said with a sly grin, the look a cat who knows that has trapped a mouse reflecting on her face.

An army of stumbling bodies slowly moved to the capital. The three women who had single handed slaughtered them lead them in their imperfect march.


	6. The Battle of Yurishen Begins!

**Chapter 8: The Battle of Yurishen Begins!**

The kunoichi rushed outside, already able to hear the approaching enemy from afar. Exiting onto the balcony of the fifth floor, they were in clear sight of the northern gate which was auspiciously empty.

_Byakugan! _Hinata activated her bloodline trait and focused her sight on the gate. Enhancing and enlarging the image, she could see that no guards stood at the gates and the large wooden doors that was the only means of entering or exiting the walled capital stood close. By chance she noticed too over grown sharpened shoots of bamboo that had grown unnaturally from the ground and impaled the corpses of the two guards had been placed on duty. "The guards are dead!"

"They've made their move," Tachi said, donning her hunter mask.

Slowly the two iron gates creaked open, attached chains disappearing into the great wall where a system of pulleys and cogwheels operated the two massive doors.

"What can they be thinking by making so much noise. Surely they know they're drawing attention themselves- unless they have a reason! Hinata focused on outside of the city!" Tenten commanded as realized the enemy's tactics.

"Ok!" Hinata focused her Byakugan on the area outside of the village. No more than 18 meters away an army of shambling soldiers approached, all bearing only the slightest signs of chakra and that chakra unique and unfamiliar to the Hyuga. "There's too many to count, but there's a large number of bodies 18 meters away and enclosing at a slow pace! There's something different about them… their chakra signatures are so faint, yet I feel like I'm suffocating from just looking at them at the same time!" Hinata announced, beads of sweating gathering on her brow.

"To be so close so quickly, they must have sent somebody ahead to take out the guards and open the gate for the body of their forces!" Tenten said, diagnosing the situation.

"Hyuga-san, how many would you estimate them there are?" Tachi asked, her curiosity nagging at her.

"Er, four hundred, five hundred maybe more…" Hinata said.

Tachi's face grew pale at the thought of such a large army. _So many victims… There's no doubt about it; somebody has carefully planned this whole thing out. But why now- unless they want to take the capital! _"Nekomi! Go inform the Daimyo about this at once and request that she deploys her most skilled warriors she has at hand at once!"

"Don't be stupid, if this Kyozame Kuroki is capable of what you say she is, then her soldiers won't fall easily in battle! If we have any hope of winning, we must fight fire with fire!" Itamu said, receiving approving nods from Maiso and Shiryu.

"You're suggesting murder innocent people?" Tachi returned, fear visible in her eyes.

"No! We simply offer to make them our perfect soldiers, they need not be forced into the procedure. The Hitsugi clan would have no pride if we converted non-consenting soldiers for the sake to further our own goals! Would you rather them die at the enemy's hands and possibly be converted the instant afterwards?"

"I'll hold you to your word!" Tachi said. "Tenten-san, Hyuga-san, you two should stay behind and find the enemy whose already infiltrated city."

"What about you?" Hinata asked.

"I'll make sure that Kyozame will never harm another person!" As Tachi spoke she removed the Odachi from her back and unsheathed it.

"We'll request for an evacuation while we prepare the soldiers," Itamu said, the three Hitsugi leaped from object to object, safely descending to the ground and running towards the castle.

"We better get going," Tenten said.

"Right," Hinata agreed as they descended to the ground in the same manner and headed towards the nearest guard tower.

"Kenko… the time for your revenge has come!" Tachi said, clutching the sword tightly.

"You can't do it alone," Nekomi said, standing beside Tachi. "I've sent Tsukihime with the Hitsugis. Even if you don't want my help, master, I promised to serve you to the very end!"

"You're right…" Tachi said after a long sigh. "However, I will be the one to take Kyozame's head!"

"Don't worry master, I think I smell some dogs we need to take care of first!" Nekomi said, her nose wrinkling with disgust as the breeze carried the enemy's sent towards them. Drawing a scroll from her robes she unrolled it and bit into her thumb hard enough to draw blood.

"I always said Panda was more useful alive than dead," the miko in red said as her two comrades lead the army of dead.

"She is for the time being at least!" the woman in white said with a maniacal grin.

Mimi shuddered. These people, no monsters, could talk of killing so easily as though it were breathing to them; how could she had ever wound up with them.

They lead their undead army towards the city with a leisurely, but ominous pace; death slowly creeping towards the city.

In the opened gates of the city two shadowy silhouettes could be seen, standing in manner suggesting they were ready to fight.

"Looks like they're faster than we thought," the woman in white said, grinning toothily.

"I guess it couldn't be helped. You may take care of these two," the miko in red said to the woman in white.

"So the killing begins," Mimi said with a heavy heart.

"Kuroki, Mimi, take care of those two and if you can draw them away from the gate. I want to take this city as quickly as possible," the miko in crimson said, pointing to the two silhouettes.

"Impatient as ever!" Kuroki, the woman in white, said with a grin.

"As you wish," Mimi replied. "Let's tear them apart Shiroko!"

The skeletal dog barked in agreement.

The two women and undead dog charged the silhouettes.

The warriors standing ready at the castle's was surprised to see the Hitsugi trio with a small black cat running towards them. "Halt! What's your purpose!"

"The city is going to be attacked! The guards have been taken out! We request an emergency audience with the daimyo at once!" Itamu said, continuing to run.

The guards looked to each other, the sounding of the gates opening had echoed through the entire city even to the castle that resided in the far back of the city. "Wait here-" they began, but Itamu cut them off.

"There's no time! Gather your strongest warriors at once, we'll be needing their help in the cities defenses!" Itamu said as she and the others ran past the guards.

The guards followed the women with their eyes until they had disappeared. A few seconds later, the guards realized they better do something or else receive rebuking by Sizume. One of them tried to catch up with the kunoichi while the other did as Itamu commanded.

Barahime tried her best to repress her yawning and look as focused and alert as she could, despite quite tired the type to wake slowly. She had the vaguest idea of what was going on, but she knew that the Hitsugi kunoichi and black cat sat before her in the throne room, briefing her about what they know and what they want to do. The vaguest notion she could get was that the city was under attack and that the Hitsugis want to "convert" her soldiers, though her sleep clouded mind could make no sense of either concept.

"I see," Sizume said, serving as temporary substitute until the Yurijo'o could wake up fully. "Though I don't like what you're suggesting, I guess in this case it may be necessary."

"We are not saying to force anybody to do anything, we simply are offering our help to anybody brave enough 'die'," Itamu said.

"That's perfectly understandable, but the question, is any of you up to the task? Are you willing to do anything to protect this country?" Sizume said in a rallying voice.

The gathered soldiers raised their weapons, crying out their answer in a loud, voiceful manner.

Itamu frowned, she hadn't expect to have to convert this many. "This is going to take a while… Meanwhile, you should have the city evacuate as quickly as possible in order to reduce the casualties."

"As you wish, how long do you think it will take?" Sizume asked.

"Hopefully not too long," Itamu replied. "Now if everyone will follow me, I will begin the procedure with the strongest of you first. Once I finished with you, go to the gate at once!" Itamu said as she and the others walked towards the closest vacant room.

Tenten and Hinata didn't make it to the guard tower before they enemy began its attack. Shoots of bamboo cut diagonally to make piercing flesh more easy shot up from the ground, forcing the kunoichi to dodge.

"Wow, you're pretty good to escape my Take Yari Wana," said a girl standing atop a balcony attached to the guard tower. She wore a white flak jacket over a black shirt and pants, a kusa forehead protector attached to a panda hat. Her was painted white with the skin around her eyes, on her hands and feet painted black. "I'm Shinai Takenoko from Kusagakure (formerly) though everyone calls me 'Panda'! Nice to meet you, my victims!" Smiling, she drew a bamboo blow gun. With a deep breath, she blew into the blow gun and fired multiple small projectiles at the kunoichi.

The kunoichi dodge the attack with nimble ease. "It'll take more than that to defeat us!" Tenten said, drawing forth her scrolls and unrolling it. A wave of kunai were summoned and sent flying at Panda.

"Who said those were meant to hit you?" Panda asked, jumping to the ground and evading the kunai at the same time. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she formed an unique hand seal wear her fingers are interweaved and thumbs tucked in except for her forefingers and pinkies which were hold straight out. _"Taketon: Take Ori (Bamboo Release: Bamboo Cage)!"_

Bamboo shoots sprouted from the ground and enclosed around the kunoichi, bending and interweaving to create a cage around them.

"Like my Taketon? I created it all by myself!" Panda said proudly.

"If you think this can will stop us you're wrong!" Tenten said, drawing a kunai and slashing at the bamboo. To her surprise the kunai's blade met resistance. In fact that bamboo wasn't even cut the slightest. _What the hell?_

"Don't take my Taketon lightly! It's indestructible!" Panda said, grinning. She brought her hands together again. _"Taketon: Take Yari Wana (Bamboo Release: Bamboo Spear Trap)!"_

With nowhere to escape, the kunoichi was trapped as the piercing bamboo sprouted from the ground.

Seeing the enemy charging them, Tachi threw a smoke pellet onto the ground, causing a smoke screen to fill the entire area.

"I don't know if they're wise or dumb! I don't need to see my victims to kill them!" Kuroki cried, laughing madly as she rushed into the smoke.

Mimi on the other hand stopped, halting her ninken in the process. _Though my heightened sense of smell can lead the enemy out of the smoke, I rather not smell that putrid woman. Besides, they initially have the upper hand with being able to maneuver themselves in a position to which they can ambush us… We mustn't rush into a trap!_

"The smoke screen was to allow Master to gain cover for her Kageto Ryu attacks, I however, have no need for such stealth since I can just as easily slip behind you," said Nekomi behind the Inuzuka, her nekode at the kunoichi's throat.

"I thought I smelt a cat," Mimi growled "Shiroko!"

The skeletal dog leaped, but not to aid its master. Instead it evaded being pounced on by a large black wild cat that had been using the darkness of night to conceal itself.

"I wouldn't really on that _thing_! Kurotora is more than a match for it!" Nekomi said triumphantly.

"Don't underestimate the might of the Inuzuka clan!" Mimi said. Whistling, several small  
whirling forms exploded from the ground forcing Nekomi and Kurotora to jump back. They touched down on the ground and revealed themselves to be six skeletal puppies.

"There's more of those abominations!" Nekomi cried in shock and disgust.

Mimi didn't seem triumphant at taking the enemy by surprise. In fact their sight tore at her. "Do they appearance disgust you so much?" Mimi said, a cold anger beginning to burn in her single visible eye. "Would you rather look at rotting flesh and maggots!"

"I rather not look upon dogs at all! Those dumb beasts have caused me a lot suffering when I was little!" Nekomi said, snarling.

"_YOU MONSTER!!! SHE WAS PREGNANT!!!" Mimi screamed at the man who she had pinned to a tree._

"_I guess I lucked out! There's less of those dumb beasts to hunt me down!" the man said, grinning wickedly. Despite the Konoha forehead protector he wore it was clear that he was no longer a member of the village._

An uncontrollable rage filled Mimi as she remembered the man who had poisoned Shiroko. "I'LL NEVER FORGIVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU!!!" She screamed. Her chakra exploded in a burst of rage, causing even Nekomi and Kurotora to feel it and flinch. Mimi dropped down onto her hand feet. _"Shikyaku no Jutsu!" _Her canines grew into fangs and her nails grew into claws as the rage within her eye grew even wild.

Shiroko and her undead puppies jumped onto Mimi's back, barking. _"(Tayo Jujin Bunshin - Multiple Beast Human Doppelganger)!"_ Each of the skeletal ninken became a copy of Mimi, each increasing the sense of wildness about them.

"Wow… that's a lot of them… I think we're a little outnumbered…" Nekomi said nervously.

Kuroki didn't seem at all blinded in the smoke screen. Maybe it was because she was able to see without having any actual eyes or maybe she couldn't actual for say "see" in the same sense that a normal human can, but nonetheless she was not hampered at all in the smokescreen. Laughing uncontrollable to herself, she poke and prodded through the smoke in search for the opponent that was hiding. "Marco!" she yelled playfully, even though she doubt that the enemy would reply.

Suddenly the woman's arm fly away from her body, severed by a quick, sharp slash of a Japanese blade. The smoke began to recede, but the attacker moved with it, not revealing herself. Somewhere around Kuroki the sound of a blade shifting in its hilt could be heard, but the sound was distorted and direction couldn't be determined.

"This style, I think I remember killing somebody who used it so many years ago; I believe she addressed herself as a Kagetora Kenko, heiress of the Kageto Ryu. My memory haw faded so I can't remember if I killed or not- wait I remember now! I killed her with her own sword! If I'm not mistaken the same sword that just took my arm!" Kuroki threw head back in a sickening laugh.

"Do you think you can taunt me by telling me how you killed my older sister?" Tachi voice said from a location unknown, as the sound of the sword, distorted and impossible to track. "I am the heir and sole survivor of my own clan, whom you destroyed with my sister's body! I swore avenge her death and make sure no one else had to suffer from your actions! I will not be provoked by a monster like you!"

"A monster? No matter how many times I'm called that, it always surprises me? I always wander why they call _me _a monster-" Slowly Kuroki's severed arm began to crawl towards her, climbing up her leg and reattaching itself to her body. "-it's not like I'm any different from the rest of you… or am I?"

A large, armadillo like metal shell enclosed the area where the kunoichi were once standing, several shafts of bamboo having pierced into despite its hardness. Inside the kunoichi evaded the attack by mere inches, causing them to hold their breaths in fear that the slightest breath will somehow cause their doom. _Not only are the impossibly hard, but also capable of piercing steel? This bamboo are by no means normal._ "Hinata, is there anything special about the bamboo?"

"Yes, I sense a strong chakra flow in it!" Hinata said.

_So that's it! She'd must be altering the nature of the bamboo through her own chakra. The Earth nature is responsible for its hardness and the Wind nature could explain how this is possible. We're doom unless we find a means to stop these- Of course! _An idea came to the kunoichi. "Hinata! I have a plan!"

"I wander if I killed them?" Panda said, looking at the spherical shell with curiosity. "Technically, since that thing is a summoned object, then it should be been disappeared if the summoner left, in other words, the summoner's still alive, but probably badly wounded… Oh the suspense is killing me!"

Suddenly the shell opened up, severed shoots of bamboo falling to the ground in a massive heap. The two kunoichi stood unharmed.

"Impossible!" Panda said. "My Taketon is indestructible!"

"Indestructible, maybe if you weren't facing a Hyuga!" Tenten said, pointing a dao she now held at Panda. "But now we know the secret of your Taketon!"

"If that's true, I can't let you live!" Panda roared, taking a deep breath and firing another round of projectiles.

"Hinata!" Tenten exclaimed.

"Right!" Hinata answered. "_Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho!_" Weaving her hands through the air around them, she created a net of chakra around them that cut anything that got close.

Panda was shocked. _Damn it! Don't tell me they're not bluffing!_

"Seeds?" Hinata said looking at the ground.

"Yes, this is the source of her attacks. She pours her chakra into these seeds while they are in her body and fires them at the ground. It's a safe guess anybody normal person would try to dodge the attack, allowing her true purpose for the attack go unnoticed. However, if she can't plant these seeds, her techniques are useless. With the time I spent saying this she could have already launched an attack if it wasn't so!" Tenten said with smile.

"You're so dead!" Panda hissed. _To have my invincible Taketon figured out so easily! I'm so going to kill her, but I can't take on two opponents simultaneously without it… Well I guess I have to summon it. _Biting her thumb hard enough to draw blood, performed the necessary hand seals and slapped her hand onto the ground. "_Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" _Following a cloud smoke, a giant panda appeared carrying a branch of bamboo to which it was eating off of. "Daiko! Watch the blind girl and make sure she doesn't get near me!"

"Blind girl?" Hinata asked, confused.

The giant panda nodded its head looked intently at Hinata.

"As for you odango girl! I going to kick your butt for revealing my secret!" Panda yelled, pointing at Tenten.

"Odango girl? What's with these nicknames?" Tenten said, a sweat drop appearing on her head to emphasize her embarrassment.

"Well it's your fault for not introducing yourselves when I did! Well, I'm afraid that you're dead, because I'm a fierce practitioner of kendo!" Panda said with a smile, brandishing a shinai she carried on her back.

"A bamboo blade stands no chance against a real sword!" Tenten said. _It's safe to say that shinai is made from the same bamboo that uses for her techniques. Because of her earth and wind natures, she'll have the upper hand especially now that she seems to have neutralized Hinata. I've got no choice, I must defeat her myself! _Tenten ran towards the Kusa kunoichi, dao raised in the air.

Three Hitsugis worked endlessly, doing the best they could under their time restraints. They already had converted between ten and twenty of the soldiers barely even an quarter of the soldiers who agreed to undergo it. _Will we be able to make it? _Itamu wandered, looking at the line of soldiers still waiting. Despite the bold faces they wore, she could tell many were afraid in their heart or hearts, worried how they'd be treated afterwards. For all she knew and cared is that they would be just Shiryu, discriminated against by their own loved ones and yet they are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their country. She didn't know if they all were brave or foolish.

For the moment she allowed herself to get distracted, she noticed a rather interesting expression among one of them. A girl that looked no older than fifteen with the air of a pureblood warrior merely looked at the Hitsugi. Her expression wasn't that of distrust or fear despite knowing what she was or what she was going to do to her. What the gloomy saw was interest, a romantic interest at that. When the girl realized that Itamu was looking at her, she blushed and looked as though she was a guard that saw her commander coming while she was slacking off.

"My, my, it's not like you to space out onesan! Is there something bothering you?" Maiso asked playfully.

"It's nothing!" Itamu said, her face turning bright red and she returned her attention to her work.

As each Hitsugi finished converting a soldier, three more came down, with the order going from Shiryu to Maiso, then Itamu. By luck, though Itamu doubted on it being down luck, the same soldier who was staring at her stood before her. "Um, may I ask something?" The girl said, trying her best to look the Hitsugi in the eye.

"If there is any doubt about taking this treatment then leave. You'll most likely regret otherwise," Itamu said.

"It's not that, I just wanted to know if somebody you were in love with were to be -er, converted, would you still love her- I mean if you were into girls that is!" The girl said nervously.

All three Hitsugi stopped in their work and stared at the girl.

"Don't be foolish!" Itamu said. "They say love is blind so that state of existence one is should matter in concerns of love! You truly love somebody, you'll love them no matter what they've become!"

The girl smiled and said, "Thank you. I know I will not regret anything, as long as it you who do it."

Itamu was speechless. Her heart began to beat rapidly.

"Itamu-neesan has a girlfriend!" Masio teased, invoking a sharp glare from the embarrassed Hitsugi.

"It seems the women of this world is more open minded than back home," Shiryu said, returning to her work.

"Shiryu-san…" Itamu said, looking sadly at her cousin.

"We better get back to work. We'll need to convert as many as possible before the enemy arrives! Just hope that the city can be evacuated in time," Shiryu said, picking up a scalpel and cutting into the soldier before her, ignoring the soldier's sharp gasp.

"Right," Itamu said. For some reason, despite being conscious of their time restraints, she had a nagging inspiration to make the girl whose has given her heart into her best masterpieces to this day. It was the least she could do.

A moonlit silhouette sprinted through the endless fields of lilies that made up Yuri no Kuni at top speed. It could not afford to stop for any reason nor could anything stop it. It had not, one goal: the capital which was not only within sight, but within a few minutes at its current speed.


	7. The Raging Battle!

**Chapter 9: The Raging Battle!**

The battle bode well for the Konoha kunoichi. Though Tenten was faster than Panda, the wind charged shinai cut anything it touched. Not even metal was able to stand up to the bamboo blade. Tenten wasn't daunted at this; she was a weapon master after all. If she couldn't close enough to strike with her dao, then she just keep her opponent at bay while she thought a strategy. Tossing her doa into the ground and drawing out her scroll, she unrolled it and summoned a wave of kunai that flew forth at Panda.

Panda smirked. With a swing of her shinai, she cut through the projectiles without any effort on her part. "Is that your best?" the girl taunted.

Damn, as long as she can channel her chakra through that blade, she's untouchable, Tenten thought. She must have some sort of weakness… The kunoichi's gaze drifted towards the Hyuga.

Hinata on the other hand, despite being able to sealing the tenketsu of any creature was to get within striking range without having to evade the giant branch of bamboo Daiko carried. Where ever the bamboo struck a giant crater was left, showing that the branch was more resilient and harder than natural. Hinata looked at the branch intently, wondering how she was going to get passed the giant roadblock. Slowly backing away in a defensive stance, she observed the giant creature. Its so quick! I can't even get close to it.

Tenten noticed something: Daiko's reach was impressive, but only in front of it. If somebody were to strike it from behind, it would be defenseless. Then it donned her. The reason why Daiko was summoned in the first place so that Panda would only have to deal with 1 opponent. Otherwise, they'd been able to flank her. Smile crossed Tenten's face. "You know, your swordsmanship is like your Taketon, cheap and easy to read."

"Shut up, you stupid odango girl!" Panda charging her.

Tenten waited until the girl was a few from her before jumping away, and summoning forth a wave of exploding kunai aimed at Daiko.

Panda, who was forced to come to a sliding stop as she ran past Tenten saw the kunai with shock. "Daiko look out!" She cried.

Daiko, hearing Panda's warning, turned and saw the kunai. With a sweeping of its bamboo shaft, it knocked the kunai away.

The kunai exploded too far away to reach Daiko much to Panda's relief. However, she had taken her eyes off of Tenten who took the opportunity to flank her. Before she react, the kunoichi grabbed the dao resting in the ground and attacked her from behind. Coughing up blood, the girl fell to her knees. "I guess I under estimated you odango gi-" Death cut her off, claiming her life.

Daiko, having lost its master, disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"I didn't actually expect to happen that way," Tenten said, "Though I guess that worked."

Nekomi and Kurotora evade several attacks from all sides as the Inuzuka and her skeletal companions attacked relentlessly. Holes were scattered across the ground from each spiraling attack, making dodging gradually more difficult.

Stupid mutts! I hate every one of them! I will never forgive them for what they did! Nekomi thought angrily. But I can't beat them like this! We need to press our own attack, not dance around like fools! More focused on thinking than looking where she went as the instinctively sidestepped and jumped around the attacks, she didn't see the hole before her until she stepped in. "Eep!" Felling into the hole, one of the assailants brushed above head, missing her by inches.

"Wow that was close," Nekomi said, peeking out of the hole. It seemed that none saw where she went since they all had turned their attention to Kurotora. As much as she was worried for her feline companion, she had too much confidence in the tiger to loose hope and instead actually formed a plan. Tossing a vial of pink liquid, she ducked into the whole and pinched her nose.

Kurotora, seeing the vial, leaped backwards, outside of the liquid's range as it shattered and released its contents, strong smelling perfume.

The Inuzuka and ninken howled in rage as they shook their heads, trying desperately clear their nose of the perfume.

"I've made that perfume from the strongest smelling plants I could find. Do you like it?" Nekomi said, smiling victoriously.

"You think this will stop us?" Mimi growled. Her eyes watered from the strength of the perfume.

"No, but it will cloud your mind and slow your reaction speed!" Nekomi said tossing more vials of the perfume.

Mimi and the ninken leaped away to evade the perfume. One made the mistake of jumping towards Kurotora who retaliated by pouncing on it as it landed, biting it on the neck. The Mimi disappeared in a puff of smoke revealing its true identity as one of the puppies. Placing a paw on its skull, Kurotora shifted its weight onto it.

"No!" Cried the Mimis, but before they could react, the skull was crushed under the tiger's weight. Howling in rage, they leaped at Kurotora, spinning through the air to create shredding whirlwinds of fangs and claws.

Kurotora tumbled, leaving them to strike the ground where it had been.

On impact, an explosion knocked the Mimi's backwards, causing all, but 1 to disappear in a puff of smoke and reveal their true forms. W-what just hit us? The real Mimi thought as she and the ninken fell to ground and rolled. As soon as they stopped rolling, a serious of explosions went off around them. Mimi was showered by dirt, rocks, bone; the last causing her to pale. Slowly forcing herself to rest on her elbow, she looked at her companions. Two more puppies had been lost judging by the shattered bones strewn across the battlefield. Tears beaded in her only good eye. "Nooo!"

"I'd be careful each time we dodge your attacks, we left a little present for you. It's been dumb luck none of you have actually hit them up until now," Nekomi said coldly, flicking a small marble wrapped in a paper bomb at Mimi.

Mimi rolled dodging the explosion by inches. "I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!" Mimi howled. She and the remaining ninken charged the Kiri kunoichi evading random explosions. I'll tear her shreds! Mimi thought in her rage.

Smiling Nekomi formed a single handed seal causing a mist to form between.

"Idiotic girl! I can still smell you!" Mimi growled, not slowly once so ever at the sight of the mist. She pounced on the girl, ripping out her throat as the body exploded in a burst of water. "A-a Mizu Bushin? Impossible!"

Suddenly she heard the yelp of one of the puppies and the shattering of bone. "No!" She cried, furiously trying to locate the sound. Unfortunately, no matter where she looked, all she saw was the mist. She couldn't smell nor hear anything. "What is this?"

She heard another yelp and then another, but remained helpless to defend her comrades. "Nooo!!! I won't ever forgive you!" Then suddenly a sharp pained rushed through her. The mist instantly disappeared as she saw Shiroko biting into her leg. Looking around, she saw the remains of the skeletal puppies. Even though it was clear from the smoking craters from which their remains laid around that they had been blown apart, she never heard the explosion nor smelt the smoke.

"I guess the dead aren't affected by genjutsu," Nekomi said behind Mimi. "Usually my task is to make sure that our village secrets aren't discovered by the enemy, but I'll make you the exception. The technique is called Obake Kiri no Jutsu (Phantom Mist Technique) and it was created by one of my comrades to mimic Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Technique). In fact, it's ten times better than Kirigakure because it also allows me to control what you hear, smell, feel, taste and touch all because its genjutsu! In fact you never felt me run you through…" At the last part, she pulled out the blade of her nekode that had pierced Mimi's midrift.

"Baka… you missed my vitals," Mimi said, clutching the wound.

"I know. I'm going let the poison keep you while I tell you a little story," Nekomi said.

"Shiroko, kill her!" Mimi hissed.

"You mean her?" Nekomi said pointing to a spread of bones scattered on the ground with half of them broken. "If she was alive, she'd would have died nobly, protecting her master until the very end. That's why I hate dogs; their dumb and unquestioning! They'll obey their master no matter how badly they're treated! They have no qualms about dragging you back kicking and screaming to be poked and probed, subjected to experiment after experiment! Man's best friend they're called! WELL I HATE ALL MEN!" Nekomi said, gradually growing unrepentantly remorseful and dark.

"No matter how much begged to stop it and how much I promised I'd never run away again or do anything bad, they stuck me with needles and forced feed me pills, pushed my body to the limits to just make me into a weapon. Then, when I was old enough, they were going to mate with me…. But then Master Tachi came and killed them all before they could even get the chance. She killed everyone of them and saved me from that hell hole! There were others, experimented on endlessly like me, but half of them were no longer human and she killed them to. The other half had just wanted to die and killed them to, to ease their pain and their suffering. I was almost like that half, wanting to die, but my Master gave me a reason to live," the girl's voice grew soft and gentle. She reached out softly to lovingly to stroke the head Kurotora who sat by her side.

"In a way I guess I became just like those dogs, blindly loyal and though never obedient," Nekomi said, smiling to herself. "Tell me, did that thing, when it was alive serve you lovingly, willing to set its life down for you?"

"Yes," Mimi said. Though what the girl barely made any sense, she felt sympathy for the girl.

"Then why did you bring her back to this cruel world?!" Nekomi screamed accusingly at the girl.

Mimi was startled. One second ago the girl was remorseful and sad and now she was angry.

"If she died unjustly, then you should have avenged her!" Nekomi said.

"I did," Mimi said.

"Then why did you bring her back to this cruel world?!" Nekomi repeated herself.

"Because I didn't want to let her go," Mimi said, tears streaking down her face. "I forsake my village, my clan, my friends to avenge her and _she_ came to me! She promised she could bring back Shiroko if I served her. I was desperate!"

"You made her and her puppies live in this horrid existence between life and death, yet they served you willingly? That is why I hate dogs!" Nekomi said, shaking her head. "Well, truth be told, there's one dog I don't hate, but it's time for me to send you to Yomi like I promised. Good night, Inubaka." With a slash of her nekode, Nekomi felled her opponent.

"What's wrong?" Kuroki asked as miko in crimson, seeing the unhappy expression on her face.

"Panda and Mimi have been 'broken'," the miko said.

"Ah! All the time that Ningyo put into making them perfect too!" Kuroki replied. "I guess there's more for me to kill!"

"I wouldn't underestimate them, keep in mind that Panda and Mimi were at Chunin level in their power. This one is probably a Special Jonin," the miko said.

"I believe her sister was a full Jonin and I killed her with ease!" Kuroki said, cackling.

"Nonetheless, underestimate her like the others and you'll be broken too," the miko said before walking past.

Broken? Tachi thought as observed the Kuroki. Their conversation didn't make any sense, but it didn't matter. She had to dispatch Kuroki here and now. Grabbing a kunai, she tossed it at the woman in white.

Kuroki raised a hand, blocking the kunai even though pierced her hand.. "Hay, don't you know its rude to attack somebody when their back is turned?" A long, black tongue slid out of her mouth, wrapped about the kunai and tossed it back at Tachi.

Tachi cut the kunai down with a single swing of her Odachi. Leveling the blade in a thrusting position, the jolted forward.

Kuroki made no attempt to evade the attack, but instead allowed herself to become impaled with the sword. "It's not very fair for you to be armed while I'm not!" She grabbed the odachi by the handle, smiling madly.

Tachi yanked the sword with all her strength, but it wouldn't come free instead, the rouge pushed the long blade deeper into her with each tug. Realizing that there was no retrieving the sword while the woman lived (if she could call it that), the swordsman reluctantly relinquished the sword and drew her dual kodachi.

"Thanks for the sword!" Kuroki said, pulling the sword out and grabbing it. "In fact, I remember putting your sister in the same predicament, though she didn't any other swords on her."

"You like to talk about my older sister a lot. Are you obsessed with her?" Tachi said calmly. She had yet to lose her temper or show much of any emotion towards the woman, despite her sister's murderer. It was as though she killed her own heart so that she wouldn't be waited down grief or anger.

"Obsessed? Maybe. I get that way with every strong opponent I fight… there's not many: Besides your sister there was that man everyone was calling 'Aka Oni' and I believe he's the only one to live after fighting me! I admire such strength! In fact your sister came close, but she made the mistake in the assumption she could kill me! The same mistake you've made!" Kuroki said, throwing back her head in a crazed laugh.

"That voice of yours is grating on my ears!" Tachi said, leaping forward and slashing with her kodachi.

"Is that so, then let me sing though I prefer to hear you sing; the song of pain!" Kuroki said, finishing drawing the sword from her chest and turning it over in her hand to block the attack and knocked the kunoichi back.

She's inhuman! However, the stronger the opponent, the bigger their weakness… I just have to find it! Tachi thought as she fell back. She charged forward, feinting to the left and then to right, dodging to the left again and stepping back, then lunging forward in a flurry of attacks.

Kuroki blocked the attacks with ease. "Yo-ur-e to-o sl-ow," Kuroki mocked, speaking slowly to express her point.

She must love to hear herself speak. Tachi thought. However, she has a point. She saw my every movement. Also it seems like she's toying with me. Is that really strong or is she merely bluffing to try to make me drop my guard? Whichever it is I have no time to waste.

Suddenly, Tachi was forced jump back as the long blade thrust forward, piercing her head hadn't she moved. She also has the advantage of reach with that Odachi. Until I can get that back, I have no chance in defeating her. There's very little water around, thus my suiton's limited. However… Tachi threw a smoke pellet into the ground and began to form hand seals.

Setting the odachi in the ground, Kuroki rested on it waiting for the smoke to clear.

The smoke screen disappeared, but it seemed Tachi had disappeared with it.

Giggling to her self, Kuroki put a finger to her chin and began pretend ponder where she had gone. Looking at the ground, a cruel grin crossed her face as put her weight on the odachi and shoved the sword into the ground. Shoving it until the tsuba hit the ground. Her grin widening, she pulled the sword back, or at least tried to. The blade refused to budge no matter how hard she pulled. Wander and puzzlement crossed the rogue's face as she studied the sword.

Tachi exploded from the ground, kicking Kuroki away. "I'd prefer to keep that sword in one piece, thank you." The girl said.

The rogue attempted to stand, but suddenly she was engulfed by an explosion underneath her. Once the smoke cleared, body parts could be seen strewn across the ground. "Good one, child, but you have yet to win!" Slowly the body parts began to crawl back together.

Acting quickly, Tachi pierced each of the body parts with a kunai until the head remained. Making a hand seal, she grabbed the Odachi by the hilt and drew out of the ground. Walking over to the head, she raised the sword above, blade down and said "In the name Kagetora Kenko and the rest of our clan, I slay you!" before stabbing the blade deep into the woman's head.

"So you win the battle, but the war has just started!" Kuroki said with a cackle, before closing her eyes. The minutes that passed felt like decades for Tachi, but she needed to determine if she was dead for real. When none the body parts moved nor the head speak for a good five minutes, the girl determined she was dead. No, she corrected herself, she was "broken". Not yet retrieving the sword, Tachi began to the process of disposing the rest of the body.

"I told her to not underestimate them," miko in crimson said as she ushered her undead army into the capital. To her dismay, every one of the soldiers that the Hitsugis already finished were rushing to form the first line of defense as the civilians were evacuating behind them. Arms at ready, they stood their ground. "So the vanguard has arrived. I guess we're going to loose after all." Shrugging the woman turned to leave the capital just a new arrival faced her.

The arrival stood in the shadows thus details were difficult to determine, however the miko seemed amused. "So the villages are sending reinforcements already. Good evening, my name is Byoshi and what is yours?"

"Bochihana Momo," the shadow said, "of Iwagakure!" The shadow stepped into the light revealing itself to be a young girl dress in a gray qipao with overly long sleeves under a Iwa style flak jacket. Her hair was drawn up for in oxhorns covered in white cloth. "And I'm here lay my before the one that is precious to me! As long as I live I will atone for the wrongs I've done her and I'll start by killing you!"

"How romantic, too bad, you're going to die in vain!" the miko smiling sinisterly.


	8. An Empty Victory

**Chapter 10: An Empty Victory**

"What's the status outside?" Shiryu asked a runner who came to relay news of the battle as she and her cousins ran down the halls of the castle with the last of their masterpieces.

"All the casualties seem to be restricted to the enemy's side, ma'am. None of our soldiers have yet to fall or take any serious wounds. We'll win the battle for sure," the runner said after stopping in mid-run and turning to catch up with the kunoichi as they ran past her.

"And the civilians?" Shiryu asked.

"They have all been successfully evacuated, but…" the runner said, trying her best to keep in pace with the Hitsugis.

"But what?" Shiryu asked, not liking the hesitation in the runner's voice.

"A new individual appeared. She's dressed like you and is fighting one of the enemy. I didn't catch her name, but she wields two Ji Zhua Lian," the runner said.

The Hitsugi trio stopped dead, nearly causing the trailing soldiers to crash into them. Shiryu's face was grown three shades paler and her eyes reflected a great shock mixed with a deep sorrow. Both of her cousins looked at her with great concern, even the usually cheerful and silly Masio seemed upset. _Momo… _Without warning, Shiryu sprinted forward at full speed. The twins, looking at each with unmistakable worry, ran after her while the soldiers stood confused and witless until their senses returned.

Momo dashed about the battlefield, effortlessly hacking apart the undead soldiers that the crimson miko drew together like a wall of flesh. Though the enemy was weak, their never ending numbers proved to be a powerful distraction. Known as Iwagakure's melee specialist, the girl chopped, slashed, kicked and slammed into the enemies with a ferocity that made her feared when fought in close-quarters. It was also known that her ability to fight at range or use and defend against ninjutsu and genjutsu were nearly inexistent, making it no surprise that she never there was something up with the constantly replenished wall of dead before her.

Byoshi simply smiled and watch the girl fight relentlessly against an enemy that didn't exist, slowly exhausting herself in a hopeless battle. All the miko need to do was to wait for the girl to spend every drop of her energy and, when that opportunity has risen, slit her throat without her even knowing. Of course it wouldn't end there; no way, she'll enjoy adding the kunoichi to her army of shambling, mindless dead just for hell of it! A dark ecstasy washed over her as she thought of her pretty little corpse dolls. _Looks like Ningyo is rubbing off on me!_

The woman's enjoyment was interrupted as the Hitsugis appeared with Shiryu in the lead. Seeing their kinswoman's predicament, Shiryu ran straight towards her and knocked her over the head with a falling kick.

The sharp and painful kick to the head having, among other things, freed the girl from the genjutsu she was trapped in. "OUCH! What happened to all the zombies?" She said, rubbing the knobby lump that grew out of her head.

"That's just like you Momo-san. Rushing head first into battle and every trap that's laid before you," Itamu said, sighing to herself.

"Momo-chan, you're as blunt as ever," Maiso said, shaking her head.

"You were trapped in a genjutsu, but more importantly what you doing here?" Shiryu asked, looking at the girl with a whirl storm of several different emotions.

"I begged Tsuchikage-sama to send me here because I…" Momo said looking away from Shiryu so she wouldn't see the tears building on the rim of the girl's eyes. "…I wanted to say I'm a total idiot and nothing I can say can ever make-up for treating you like monster! No matter how much I tried, I couldn't forget you and I've spent countless nights awake thinking about you! I can't live without you!!!" Despite her best attempts, she couldn't conceal the tears that fell onto the blood covered cobblestone streets or her following sobs.

"Momo…" Shiryu gently reached out with her hand and rested it on the girl's shoulder. Suddenly she yanked the girl back and socked her with her free hand. "YOU STUPID LITTLE IDIOT! YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREAKING BATTLE!?! AND WHAT'S WITH THAT EMO LITTLE CRAP ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE-UP TO ME!?! WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST WAIT TO AFTER THE DAMN BATTLE TO CRY YOUR EYES OUT AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!?!" Shiryu screamed nearly at the top of her lungs.

Momo, the Hitsugi twins and even Byoshi looked at Shiryu with wide eyes filled with shock and horror. The former three, for as long as they've known her, never seen her ever get so angry before.

"Y-You're right, Shiryu-san. I'm sorry…" Momo said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"As much I as would love to say behind and play with you, it's clear whose the victor of this battle is and should retreat," the miko said. Bowing, she turned from them and began to walk off.

"You think you could humiliate me and just walk off so unharmed so easily!" the girl cried, charging the miko and swinging her Ji Zhuo Lian in a decapitating swing.

The miko's head fell to the ground, detached from the rest of her body, and rolled briefly around before coming to a stop. "I hope you enjoyed our dolls, our Ningyo put so much time time into making them look like us!" the miko's head said, laughing mockingly at them before closing her eyes and becoming void all signs of life. Her body to the ground listlessly though no blood came from the stumped where her head was once attached.

"Dolls?" Momo asked, confused.

Itamu grabbed the miko's lifeless arm in one hand and, drawing a scalpel from up her sleeve, cut it open. Peeling the skin back, a ball joint limb was revealed. "This is a human puppet and cleverly disguised one at that," she said.

"So among the enemies is our age old enemy, the Puppeteers of Sunagakure," Shiryu said, nodding her head.

"This'll be fun!" Maiso said with a wicked glee in her eye.

"I don't like the sight of this," Nekomi said. She had begun to dispose of the Inuzuka's body even if she wasn't a Kiri-nin when she discovered the ball-joint doll body that was hidden under the layer of skin. "If Kuroki is like this too- I hope Tachi-chan is alright…"

"Doll parts…?" Tachi said in shock as she looked at the exposed ball joints that made up Kuroki's body. She heard of human puppets before, especially Sasori of the Red Sand who joined the Akatsuki, but from her knowledge, only a human puppet with a single part of its original body preserved and living could use chakra let alone think and act on its own. Kuroki's body was in fact, void of any living body parts. In fact it seemed like body was stitched together from several different bodies. In truth, she realized in horror that this wasn't even the real Kuroki. Her heart was plunged into a bottomless abyss of anguish, believing she had finally avenged her beloved sister's death to find that she just fought a lifelike doll of the devil she had been tracking for so many years.

The Konoha kunoichi looked over the corpse of their opponent, exhausted from the difficult battle that they had fought.

"Hinata, can you search the area for the rest of the enemies," Tenten said, the sensation that something wasn't right crawling over her body.

"Yes," the Hyuga said, activating her Byakugan. The first thing that caught her attention was right under them. Shinai's body was covered in paper bombs. "Watch out!" The girl cried, tackling Tenten and knocking her to the ground just as they all went off.

Body parts were scattered around, but Tenten's sharp vision noticed something particular and most disturbing there was no blood, shattered bones or torn up internal organs. What littered the ground was charred flesh and ball-joint doll parts. "What the hell?"

On the country side of Yuri no Kuni, there was a large house. Built over a hundred years ago, it has long been abandoned and many believe that it's haunted. It has gone long unattended, it's wood warped and rotted, its shoji tattered and faded, its tatami mildewed. Black mold grew colonies born from rain water collected through the holey roof making the house inhabitable until it was removed. None would ever suspect that this was the base of operations for a band of nuke-nin.

"_Hay, Ningyo, mind doing something about the mold?_" Said Panda, her voice distorted from wearing a gas mask like most of the others in the house. She, among the others, sat cross-legged in a circle. The room was lit with a single, faint candle, barely enough to illuminate the few that sat adjoining to her who happened to be Mimi and Kuroki. The rest of the group were hidden in the darkness of the room, their identities known only to those that were gathered.

"Why? It works wonders to kill any intruder," said one of the figures in the darkness.

"I've got no problems with, maybe because I'm already dead!" Kuroki said, cackling out loud. She was one of the few of them that didn't wear a gasmask for the very reason she stated.

"_Ch! A little mold doesn't hurt!_" another voice said from the darkness in a boastful manner.

"Says the woman wearing a gasmask!" Kuroki taunted.

"_You want a piece of me bitch!_" the voice hissed, the tip of an unmistakable oversized sword hung inches above the woman's face.

"Still carrying around that cheap replica of that fools butcher knife?" Kuroki said, cackling to herself.

"_HOW DARE YOU INSULT ZABUZA-SAMA, YOU THIRD RATE ASSASSIN!_" the voice yelled.

"_Hay, hay! Calm down guys! Weren't both followers of Momochi-san?_" Panda said, trying her best to calm down the two kunoichi.

"Unlike lover-girl here, I just helped him try to assassinate the Mizukage 'cause he promised that I get to kill all I want!" Kuroki said, grinning monstrously.

"_I enjoy just as much my kinsman, but killing mindlessly without any restriction will get yourself caught by the hunter-nin, or have you forgotten the last time your carelessness had nearly gotten you killed?_" the voice retorted.

"You talk big, but without Momochi to hide behind, you're nothing!" Kuroki snarled.

"_THAT'S IT!_" The voice screamed. An assailant leaped forward from the darkness and chopped down with the heavy, oversized knife. The wielder of the sword could have easily mistaken for the relative of Momochi Zabuza. She wore her forehead protector in same fashion as him and wore the same style of pleated pants. She had long black hair and cold brown eyes, full bosoms whose shape were in no way hidden under her form fitting black shirt that exposed her midriff. The bandages that covered her face and neck from the nose down were rearranged to allow a gasmask to be worn, but left little doubt to whom she was making a tribute to.

Kuroki allowed the knife to plunged into her body with out attempting to evade or block the attack. "I was looking for an excuse to kill you!"

"_Stop it you battle-maniacs!_" Byoshi said stepping into the light. "_We can't afford to be fighting amongst ourselves!_"

"_Konoki-sama; please stop!_" Cried a beautiful girl in a blue kimono covered in white snow flakes who stepped out of the darkness and hugged the swordswoman from behind. She had porcelain white skin, long black hair and cold blue eyes.

"_Yuki…_" the swordswoman said, looking down at the girl with concern. After a moment, the woman withdrew the sword from Kuroki's flesh and sheathed it.

Kuroki smiled to wickedly, but kept any condescending comments to herself.

"_Now that everyone has calmed down,_" Byoshi said, looking at both Kuroki and the swordswoman, "_Let's discuss our 'defeat'._ _We made no mistake on our side except underestimating the enemy's power and resourcefulness. As it seems, they have their own necronin so raising undead armies won't help so much. Also the enemy now will be on guard and most likely attempt to summon reinforcements so we must stop them before they outnumber us. Using the knowledge we've gathered from the enemy, we should be able to fight fire with fire._"

"Isn't there a Hyuga among them?" Spoke one of the voices without the gas mask. "Byakugan eyes are hard to come by…"

"I knew these would come in hand one of these days. I was going to use them myself, but my body was dead by the time I got them," Kuroki said reaching into her robes and drawing forth a tube with two Byakugan eyes floating in preservatives. "The Hyuga I won these from went down easy! I guess they aren't much a of match against me!"

"_I can't believe you're useful for once!_" the swordswoman said insultingly.

"Ah, we're blessed! Jashin must be smiling upon us!" the voice in the darkness said.

"_I never knew that you were the religious type Ningyo,_" Byoshi said in amused tone.

"I'm not, but one of my master's allies was a fanatic. Apparently by killing in Jashin's name and performing lengthy rituals made him immortal," the voice said.

"_Wasn't he defeated by Konoha like your master?_" Panda asked. "_The name of that girl… Haruni? Harunee? Harunu?_"

"The name of the blasted woman who slew my master was _HARUNO SAKURA_… One day I will avenge him!" the voice hissed in clear, venomous tones.

"Oops! It looks like I hit a sore spot… sorry!" Panda said nervously.

"_Yes, yes. You will have your revenge; in time. But we must first focus on the task at hand. Eliminating the shinobi who has intruded on _our _land. Everyone be prepared to go to battle!_"

"Right!" "_Right!_" All the other members, except Mimi, said. The candle flickered and only the Inuzuka remained in the room.

_Shiroko… Can you ever forgive me? _She thought, clutching her stomach. On that very portion of her stomach was tattoo like symbol portraying the kanji for "Inugami" written in the middle of a group of marks and symbols that made up some mystical formula.


	9. Concerns of the Heart

**Chapter 11: Concerns of the Heart**

The kunoichi slowly regroupped as they tried to peace together what had happened. Their victory left a stale taste in mouth as they pondered if they had really won their battle. For Konoha kunoichi, Tenten and Hyuga Hinata, they were confused and worried. They had completed their initial mission, but now a new threat had raised it's ugly head and there was nothing they could do to help. They knew nothing of the enemy except that that this was only the beginning of a new war.

Driven by curoisity, they walked allong the city's walls, inevitably coming accross the Tachi. The stern swordswoman stood on knee, her body shaking spasmatically. Worried at her sight, the kunoichi hastened their pace into a run. It was only as they got closer cloud they see the warrior's face distraught and wet with tears did they realize that she had been crying.

Hearing the approaching kunoichi, the warrior quickly wiped her tears away and picked herself up, attempting to appear as dignified as her emotionally wracked body would permit. She didn't try to look at them, knowing that her eyes would betray her. "You are victorous?" She asked, pretty sure she already knew the answer, but hoped for otherwise.

"Define victory," Tenten said sadly.

"We won, but..." Hinata said, looking at the ground.

Anger gripped the warrior's body. "They were just toying with us!" She hissed, clenching her fists so hard that they began to bleed.

"No I think this was a test," Said Itamu as she and the three other Iwa kunoichi came to the gates, "This is, after all, the capital of an entire nation. It would be foolish to have charged in person without knowing every trick the enemy had. Sure they could easily dispatch the known forces, but any clever strategist will keep it's ace a secret from the enemy for as long as possible and make sure once it's been revealed that the enemy doesn't have the chance of telling others of it. By throwing these puppets at us, they lure out the ace and once they figure its strengths and weaknesses and insure there's no other secret threats, they can attack with confidence."

"At least that's how we'd do it!" Maisoko said with unnerving glee.

"To make matters worse, we cannot stay for much longer. Our mission has been completed and we must report the course to the Tsuchikage," Shiryu said, saddened. "To think that there's a puppet master with much skill at making human puppets."

Momo looked at the other kunoichi, wandering to whom they were. Unfortunately, none seemed to be in the mood for making introductions.

"Well at least we have the satisfaction of knowing _she_ is hear. We just need to collect her head and return home," Nekomi said.

"You say that as though you know where they are!" Tenten said, concern in her voice.

"We don't, but we know their target," Tachiko said. "When they next attack, I will punish her for her crimes."

"But to go up against them alone! That's suicide!" Tenten exclaimed.

"We don't intend too. As soon as we've disposed of her body- which shouldn't all that hard, we will return to our village," Nekomi said.

"What about the city?!" Hinata asked. Her face ashen from the thought of the chaos.

"That is not of our concern," Tachi said. "We must rest and prepare for the next battle. If you wish to remain in good graces of your village, I suggest you complete your mission if you haven't already and leave." Turning about, she and Nekomi left the gathered kunoichi and returned to the inn.

"I fear she speaks the truth my Konoha friends," Shiryu said. "Though I hate to admit it, to stay in this land for any much longer will risk our positions."

As much as either Tenten or Hinata hated to admit it, they couldn't do anything.

---

"I'm in your debt," Barahime said to the gathered kunoichi. As to be expected Tachi and Nekomi were absent, excusing themselves inorder to rest. The young daimyo was ashen, the color having drained from her face and bags beginning to form under her eyes. She had lost sleep in the news of the attack and the grim news that the kunoichi brought them would make it getting sleep an impossible feat. "If what you say is true, then we are doomed. Our milaitary is strong in their own right, but stand no chance against enemies of such calibur. We are better off surrendering if we thought it would spare our people."

"You can't! Even if they were to offer to spare your people if you did, they'll just kill everyone after they've got what they want!" Tenten said heatedly. "Anyone who would betray their own village can't be trusted!"

"I understand your concern, but we aren't fools," Sizume said. "We know full well that criminals have no honor. Our warriors will fight valliantly to the death, after we've successful evacuated the civilians!"

"Your warriors are practically immortal, but they will not stand much of a chance against the real enemy. You will also need to assigns guards to watch over the civilians and place to keep them. Amongst their numbers there seems to a few who enjoy killing a little too much. These few won't be satisfied to have captured a nearly abandoned city. They will track down the civilians and dispatch them for sure," Shiryu said, shaking her head.

"And what do you suggest we do then?" Barahime asked.

"Pray for a miracle," Itamu answered.

---

_"Are you done yet?"_ Panda asked.

"For the umpteen thousandth time, no! It takes crucial time for me to lay everything in place. One little flaw and no one will believe my master pieces!" the voice from the shadows snarled.

_"But I'm bored!" _Panda said, moaning. _"There's nothing to do around here! Konoki and Yuki are being all lovey-dovey, Byoshi is napping, Kawaki is out swimming, Kouryu is moping about, wishing it would rain, I don't wanna know what Kuroki is up to, Kuchiki is eating, Inari is out pulling pranks and Mimi has disappeared!"_

"Disappeared?" the voice said, confused.

_"Yeah and she's been acting wierdly since the attack," _Panda said. _"She sighs and touches her stomach... Do you think she could be pregnant?"_

"No, that's not likely it. However this is troubling. She hails from Konoha after all. They are a bunch of pacifist fools and Mimi is no exception. I know little to why she defected in the first place, but I doubt she's suited for our grand plan. It is also possible that she is, in fact a spy, acting as a criminal in name only to infiltrate our organization and discover our secrets. In that situation, allowing her out of her sight is a fatal mistake. We must find Mimi at once and place her under close surveillance before it's too late. Gather Kawaki, Kouryu, and Kuchiki. You must find her at once!" the voice said.

"Hai!" Panda said, soluting the darkness before performing a series of hand seals in disappearing into the shadows.

---

Tenten didn't want to leave. Not only did she fell at peace in this land, but she had to leave it soon in its time of need. She wished there was something she could do, but what? Unfortunately, there was no place for her to comtemplate this. Where ever she went, she was greeted by the joyous cheers of the civilians, inviting her to join in the celebration of protecting the city. If only they knew what awaited them, then they wouldn't be so cheerful. She knew full well she had no to say so much; it's better that they enjoy the little time they had rather than live in fear, anxiously awaiting the next attack.

Tenten hadn't realized she wandered out of the city's gates and into the wilderness until she ran into a tree. Surprised, she looked about. To her relief the city was still in sight, but oddly yet, she was more relieved to be outside of their walls. The quiet melody of nature had a calming effect on her soul. Almost all of her worries were fading away, though she realized this and tried to keep ahold of them. Against her best efforts, they slipped through her fingers and were gone. She knew they'll return once she returned to the city, but maybe that's a good thing.

How long was it since she last trained? She couldn't remember. Finding a place with plenty of area, she unattached the large scroll she wore on her back and laid it on the ground. Unrolling it, she summoned two tonfa and began to practice twirling them in her hands and striking at an invisible enemy. The physical exertion filled her body with a sort of ectasy known only by someone who trained from youth to fight fast, hard and relentlessly. Her movements were fluid like water, changing from attacks and blocks against an imaginary foe, striking at her enemy's most vital spots and watching for openings. Soon she was so wrapped up in her training that she tuned everything out.

"It's not very wise for you to be out here alone," said a voice from the trees, catching the kunoichi off guard and dragging her back to reality.

"Whose there?" she asked, taking a defensive stance. She didn't recognize the voice. Though the speaker didn't attack her, she wasn't so foolish to think that was cause enough to let her guard down.

Mimi stepped out from behind a tree.

Tenten's attention was immediately drawn to the kunoichi's forehead protector. Though it meant the woman was an ally, Tenten had heard of no word from the village at dispatching additional shinobi nor there being any already in Kuni no Yuri. Something was suspicious. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I am not an enemy," Mimi said, adding in her mind _(at least not currently)_.

"I like to believe that, but that still doesn't answer my question," Tenten said, looking sternly at the kunoichi.

"Believe me or not, it doesn't matter. If it means anything, the fact I didn't take the chance to strike you down while you were distracted is proof enough of this. If you want to fight, feel free to make the first strike. I will not hesitate to defend myself," Mimi said dryly.

Tenten sighed. It was clear that she wouldn't get any answers from the woman. Still she couldn't drop her guard. "What is your purpose here?"

"I... I don't know... My feet just took me here," the woman said looking at the ground.

"So it must be destiny," Tenten said, looking at the woman sympathetically. She easily read that the woman was troubled by the sad dullness in her only eye.

"Destiny?" Mimi said, looking at the younger kunoichi in askance.

"Our meeting today is destined. You said yourself that you are willing to fight so let's do that!" Without warning Tenten lunged at the woman, swinging out with her tonfa.

Jumping away from the kunoichi's attack, Mimi landed on her hands and feet. Confused she looked at the girl who wasted no time in rushing after her. Gritting her teeth, she hissed "Yurei Shakuhou: Kitsunetsuki!" The whites of her eyes turned black as her iris glowed red. Her teeth became carnivorous fangs and her nails grew long and sharp. A dark aura, invisible to the naked eye, wrapped about the kunoichi.

Tenten stopped in mid strike, taken by surprise at the sudden transformation. Just looking at the transormed woman raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Not sure of what her enemy was capable of she dropped back. For her foresight she was rewarded with her life.

Mimi swipped her a clawed hand through the air where Tenten had been standing seconds before faster than the kunoichi's eye could follow. Snarling, the woman charged forward on her hands and feet.

Sidestepping her monstrous opponent, she threw a spinning strike at Mimi's back.

With a back-handed strike, the woman not only blocked the attack causing any harm to her, but shattered it a cloud of splinters. She followed through with a swipe of her other hand.

Blocking the slash with her remaining tonfa which exploded in splinters like the first, Tenten was thrown into a tree with tremendous force and had the wind knocked out of her.

This much strength; she couldn't possibly be human, the kunoichi thought as she tossed aside the handles of her tonfa (which happened to be all that remained) and grabbed her scroll. Summoning a kusarigama, she threw the weighted end, attempting to ensnare her opponent.

Mimi caught the chain in one hand and, with a simple tug, dragged Tenten off her feet and sent her flying towards her. With her free hand she socked Tenten in face with bone with enough strength cause the kunoichi's head to explode into a shower of splinters.

Having predicted that this may happen, Tenten had grabbed a section of log from the ground and replaced with her body using Kawarimi no Jutsu as she was janked off her feet. Using the momentum to launch her past her opponent, she released a barrage of shuriken, kunai, kama and about any other small and throwable weapon she kept stored within her scroll before landing on a tree branch.

Unable to react in time, Mimi was impaled by the weapons. Despite the hideous blow to her body, she stood seemingly unfazed. Taking a deep breath, she released a bestial roar causing the dark aura around her body to exploded from her body, sending the impaling weapons in all directions.

Tenten was forced to duck behind a tree in order to escape the random flight of expelled weapons. Jumping into the air, she began to spiral through the air at high speed striking the tree that Tenten was hiding behind and piercing it at tremendous force.

I...Isn't that an Inuzuka technique? Tenten wandered as she leaped from the tree at the last second. As she landed on the ground below, she leapt away in time to evade Mimi who continued her spiraling attack into the ground. Leaping diagnally into the air and bounding off a nearby tree, she evaded Mimi as she emerged from the ground.

Her spinning slowed and the woman drifted in the air as her momentum carried her upward. Her breathing was labored and blood trickle from her mouth. "I guess this is our limit..." As her sent reached it's peak, she began to fall to the ground. Her body returned to normal as the aura faded. Closing her eye, she prayed that her opponent would kill her mid air so that she wouldn't have to feel her bones shatter on the landing.

Tenten, landing atop a tree branch, leapt towards Mimi, catching her mid air and bounding from the tree to land safely on the ground. "Hay... are you alright?" She asked concerned.

"Why should somebody who attacked out of the blue be suddenly asking me that?" Mimi asked, opening her eye to look at the kunoichi.

"Yes I attacked you, but I had no intention of killing you! You had such a haunted look in your eye, that I just wanted take your mind off whatever was bothering you!" Tenten said angrily.

"So impaling me with those shuriken and kuni is your idea of trying to not kill me?" Mimi said, confused.

"I thought you'd dodge! Besides, you were the one trying to kill me!" Tenten returned.

"Trying to solve your problems with violence. You're either a Kiri spy or a student of Might Guy," Mimi said, sighing.

Tenten blushed in embarrassment. I guess I did act rashly, she thought with disdain. "Anyways what the hell was that back there? It was like you were possessed or something!"

"Or something..." Mimi said, reluctantly to truthfully answer her opponent's question. Pushing herself out of the kunoichi's arms, she tried to walk away, stumbling and falling to a tree. "I guess I should thank you for trying to help me, but this is a manner that involves you."

"Maybe not, but it's probably better to get it off your chest," Tenten said.

"If you are one of _his _students, then I suppose you won't stop hounding on this," Mimi said, sighing. "I fear I have done something to hurt the memory of somebody close to me and I don't know what do..."

"You should ask for forgiveness as soon as possible. If that person truly loved, then you'll be forgiven," Tenten said.

"But what if I don't deserve forgiveness?" Mimi asked. "What if I had done something so bad, that she can never forgive me?"

"Everybody deserves to be forgiven! She understands what you've done and is more than willing to forgive you!" Tenten said.

"What if I betray her memory her memory by sealing her soul into my body and corrupting her soul by killing innocents!" Mimi said, looking at the kunoichi in concern.

"I...I..." Tenten hadn't expected to hear this. She had heard of such feats being possible, but she never expected someone to be so willing to do it to themself. She was baffled and a bit frightened, however, she could see the guilt and self-loathing the woman's eye. "I think you should make right your mistakes and purify your body, the vessel her spirit is imprissoned in. If you do this, she may not forgive you, but that is her rite. However, no matter how badly you treat somebody, as long as they love, she'll forgive you!"

Tears fell from Mimi's eye. "Thank you," the woman said, clutching her stomach. Whipping the tears away she looked at the younger kunoichi. "May I offer you some advice?"

"Go ahead," Tenten said.

"Leave this country now. You will not stand a chance against us, in our next attack," Mimi said. Peforming the ram hand seal, a shroud of wind blown leaves spiralled about her body before landing on the ground. However, as soon as they landed, she had disappeared.

"Tenten-san!" Hinata yelled, running to the kunoichi at full speed.

"Hinata?" Tenten asked in surprise.

"I couldn't find and some people said they saw you leave the city in a daze. I was worried so I searched for with my Byakugan. I saw an enormous surge of chakra and I was worried you were in danger," Hinata said, her face pale with fear.

"You were worried for me?" Tenten asked. She couldn't explain why her heart beat quickened, why her cheeks burned with blush or even why hearing that from the Hyuga caused her to feel warm inside. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wandered if this could be love. She felt ashamed for causing her own team mate to worry over her. "I'm sorry..." she said sheepishly.

"Are you okay?" Hinata asked.

"I'm fine," Tenten said. "I think I met one of the people who attacked last night, but I don't think she wants to hurt anybody- at least not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, not understanding what she meant.

"I'll explain on the way back," Tenten said. She collected her scattered weapons and sealed them into the scroll.

---

"Tsunade-sama! A message marked urgent has come from Yuri no Kuni!" Shizune said, bursting into the Hokage's office. She quickly hurried over to the Hokage's desk and handed a scroll she had been carrying.

"From Yuri no Kuni?" Tsunade asked, surprised. Taking the scroll and unrolling, she read the missive. The expression on her face grew grim. "Shinobi has attacked their capital and they've asked Tenten and Hinata to stay behind. Also they want us to send reinforcements. They're willing to pay any price aslong as the shinobi been driven out of their land... A mission of this level would be atleast A ranked. Shizune, gather as many Jonin ranked kunoichi you can find and bring them to my office at once!"

"Yes, Tsuande-sama!" Shizune said, rushing out of the Hokage's office.

---

"You summoned us, Kazekage-sama?" Asked Matsuri as she and Sari followed Temari into the Mizukage's office.

"We've received an emergency request from Yuri no Kuni for urgent assistance," Gaara said as he looked up from the scroll on his desk.

"Yuri no Kuni?" Matsuri asked.

"I've only heard rumors of the country, but from what I understand, it's a neutral country that lends safe harbor to any woman that has been brutalized by men though many women come for vocational visits," Temari said. "As a peaceful country, it's military is still inexperienced and they have no shinobi villages to rely on."

"Isn't that also the country where can seek lesbian relationships?" Sari asked.

"Er, yes... but that's not important," Temari said, blushing.

"It seems they have a pair of Konoha and Iwa kunoichi already at the capital from a previous mission whom they've requested to remain behind and help them. Your mission is to lend them aid in the defense," Gaara said.

"Then why did they come to us for help?" Matsuri asked.

"In the last attack by the enemy, they fought life like human puppets. It's believed that one of the enemy is a rogue follower of Sasori of the Red Sands," Gaara stated.

"Are you saying that the Akatsuki's behind this?" Temari asked, her face pale.

"From the descriptions of the known enemy, none have identified as being members of Akatsuki. It is likely that when Sasori was defeated, his followers were scattered to the wind in fear of being discovered by our ANBU. We also bear a great debt to Konoha. In order to repay this debt and as to take responsibility for our own mistake, you shall locate and, if necessary, dispose of the enemies threatening Yuri no Kuni," Gaara said.

"Yes sir!" The kunoichi said in unison before departing to pack and leave the village.

---

"Reinforcements? I've already sent out that sappy Momo so she can make-up to the Hitsugis. I think that's enough," the Tsuchikage said as he read the request from Yuri no Kuni.

"You sure you can really on? There's no doubt that the Hitsugi's are an army of their own, but I've known rocks brighter than Momo," Kurotsuchi asked.

"Momo may be as blunt as a rock and hopeless when caught in genjutsu, but none can match her lust for battle," the old said smiling. "Besides, if she dies, that's one less anoying brat I have to worry about."

Kurotsuchi laughed nervously while thinking, is that how he thinks of her?

---

"Konoha, we've been looking for you," Itamu said as Tenten and Hinata returned to the city. "We've received word from our respective villages. It seems that our leaders have decided to help and has ordered us to remain in the capital. They have shall be sending reinforcements and have asked the other villages for support."

"What? But that's impossible! I doubt the fastest birds in the world could cover that much land by now!" Tenten said confused.

"You're correct in that. Another thing that troubles me is that our Tsuchikage is too proud to ask help from other villages. Somebody's been trying to manipulate us," the Iwa kunoichi.

"Could it be the enemy?" Hinata asked.

"I don't think so. Unless there's a spy amongst us, it's unlikely they know that we were leaving and even if we did, they'd wait for us to leave so that they could the capital more easily," Itamu said.

"I agree. I just fought one of the enemy's, though I was the one who initiated the battle. She had asked us to leave if we wanted to live. Though she could be trying to trick us, I don't think so... She seemed like she was regretting her actions," Tenten said, looking away.

"Even if she was coerced into it, she still conspired with her allies to take the lives of innocents and take a country by force. Regardless of what she feels, we cannot allow her to go unpunished. I understand that Konoha has been lenient on it's nukenin, but in war pittying the enemy will get yourself killed. As of current, Shiryu is trying to confirm the Tsuchikage's real orders and locate the one responsible for sending us this bogus missive. I suggest you do the same," Itamu said promptly before turning and walking away.

"Itamu... you're a medical nin right? What do you know of fuinjutus?" Tenten asked.

"I may know a thing or two, but what do you want to know?" Itamu said, stopping and looking at the kunoichi.

"She claimed to have dishonored a memory of a loved sealing their sole into her... and during our battle, she perfomed some weird technique that gave her immense strength. I think it was called 'Kitsunetsuki'," Tenten said trying to remember the battle she had fought a little while ago.

"So they are practicing that forbidden technique..." Itamu said, walking off. Yurei Kinko... Monster Imprisonment... An art only practiced by kuromiko.

Tenten tried to get more information from Itamu, but was hopeless. With nothing better to do, she and Hinata decided to follow her advice and look into their mysterious orders.

None noticed the suspicious on looke sidle away, muttering "That Iwa kunochi is particularly sharp, but I've done all I can to help them," under her breath. Looking to her feet where a small shelty stood she added, "Come Kotsuzui; we should stop that stray dog from getting herself killed. Masters don't like it when their dogs bite the hand that feeds them, even those masters incourage them to kill others."

Barking the dog as it followed her.


	10. The Yokai's Game

**Chapter 12: The Yokai's Game**

"Mimi better have food on her," mumbled Kuchiki. A small rotund woman dressed in a ankle length kimono and armor caring the kanji of 食 ("Shoku" Food) on her breastplate. She had purplish spot on each of her round cheeks and eyes that were almost closed. She wore her long brown hair long and tied off into two pony tails at the top of her head.

"You're always hungry, fatso," hissed Kouryu ill-temperedly. She was a tall woman dressed in a kimono that was a dull kimono at the top, but turned red towards the bottom in an almost stain like fashion. She shifted from one foot to another uncomfortable, her geta clacking off the cobblestones of some long forgotten road. Her skin was white as porcelain and her hair was long and black, worn in disarray. Rested a worn out umbrella on her shoulder.

"What was that chop stick girl?" Kuchiki growled. "I'd eat, you but I'll still be hungry!"

"_Kuchiki do not make threats you will not act on and Kouryu don't provoke our allies!"_ Snapped Kawaki, a stout woman dressed in a green wetsuit and wearing a large turtle shell on her back. Her voice was diluted by the beak shaped breathing mask she wore.

"Nice to see everyone so restless as usual!" Panda said mockingly. "Since I'm really bored, let's make a game out of it! The person who finds Mimi first gets to do _anything _to the losers!"

The three gathered women stared at panda in surprised. A gluttonous glee shone in Kuchiki's eye. "I've always wanted to eat you tasty looking wretches!" A violent grin crossed Kouryu, "If it won't rain water, then it'll rain blood!" Kawaki chuckled mischievously to herself, _"All the cucumbers I can eat…"_

"Wow Kawaki, you're so normal…" Panda said a little disappointedly.

"_It's not like there's any code that I have desire the death of my comrades in order to be a nuke-nin!"_ Kawaki exclaimed angrily at the kunoichi looking at her disappointedly.

"You're the kappa! Shouldn't you want to suck our intestines out through our anus and eat it?" Panda suggested.

"_That's discussing! Why would I want to do that?"_Kawaki asked.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE THE KA-PPA!" Panda yelled.

Sighing, Kawaki shook her head. "Sure whatever! Can we just this done with?"

Without further discussion, the four kunoichi disappeared in a flicker.

"I'm so sorry! I had no idea your orders were falsified! How can somebody as naïve like me be expected to rule a nation," Barahime said, wringing her hands as she addressed the gathered kunoichi.

"No it's my fault! I should have known there was something right about the message and taken the time to investigate it! If it had been booby trapped, the trust the hidden villages had for our country would have been lost!" Sizume said, biting her lip.

"It's okay," Tenten said, trying to calm the nearly hysteric leader and her guard. "We're sending a message now to confirm our position and until we receive proper word, we are bound to stay here. The least we can do is protect you for a little longer."

"Our position is only to collect the head of Kuroki and bring all that support her to justice. Our mission will not end until that has been done. Also we received no orders falsified or otherwise from our village so we are not involved in your concerns," Tachiko said.

"Though our primary mission has begun, our return has been waylaid by the presence of a threat to both the client and ourselves. Considering that we were assigned an A-rank mission, we will treat this an extension of the mission until we are sent orders otherwise," Itamu said. "However it has come to our knowledge that one of our own has come in contact with a more sympathetic member of the enemy's numbers and among the conversation it seems that they are using a technique rare to us shinobi. As far as I aware, this country has no unified shinobi village and takes a particularly spiritual route of training it's shinobi… Among the forbidden techniques I recall from this very land's origin was Yurei Kinko- monster imprisonment."

"What are you saying?" Barahime asked confused.

"Are you suggesting there is a traitor amongst our people?" Sizume asked.

"We have only silenced the faction that wishes for the end of this land's gender exclusion, but that doesn't mean that we have routed all of those who opposed you or your mother's rule," Itamu said. "It's foolish to think we can live in a world without conflict, but that aside we are dealing somebody that doesn't have a strong following within this land. The fact they recruited renegade kunoichi from other lands is proof of this. From this standpoint we can eliminate suspects to those who would know the technique."

"Excuse me, but I fear you've made a mistake," spoke a miko that stepped out of the shadows of the audience chamber. She had long black hair cut in hime-cut fashion and deep brown eyes that reflected both a gentle kindness and a sharp, hidden blade. She wore the white kimono and red hakama of the miko's chihaya. "For one, it's called Yokai Kinko. A technique named yurei kinko would only be able to trap incorporeal spirits of the deceased if such a thing existed. Second, the technique is only forbidden because of the toll of the host, but I will not go into details. Why I correct you is that every shrine's kannushi (which there are many) and their chosen successors. There are some who'd use the technique for their own purposes, but it is a difficult task to summon a creature of Makai. These individuals are no less different than you renegades. We hunt them with our own special forces, but that's not important. What I'm essentially getting at is that it won't be so easy to rule out the culprit."

"This Amaya Nekochi, young sister of your shrine's kannushi and our future kannushi," Barahime said, introducing the miko.

"Such a duty is beyond the ability like me," Amaya replied humbly. "I fear there are more well suited people for the task."

"If that's true, how do you suggest how we find the mastermind?" Itamu asked.

"Forgive my prying ears, but I heard that one of your own had encounter one by accident. If any of you are skilled in tracking. It shouldn't be that hard to follow her trail provided she doesn't take the time to hide it- a time consuming task on itself," Amaya suggested.

"Konoha, you encountered her, can you lead us to the place you met?" Itamu asked, turning towards Tenten.

"I should," Tenten replied.

"Hyuga, if your bloodline is great as we hear, you should be able to pick up her chakra," Itamu said.

"R-right!" Hinata answered.

"Kiri, you are more beast than human. Does that extend to your nose?" Itamu asked Nekomi.

"You can rely on me," Nekomi replied.

"In that case, we will scout the area and search for the target, acting in teams of two. You may decide how you team up, but keep a tracker in each team," Itamu said.

"If you wish, I can produce a list of known renegades," Amaya suggested.

"That would be helpful. Thank you," Itamu said.

Amaya bowed and walked into the shadows.

Itamu turned to Tenten and said, "Konoha, if would please lead us to the location of your meeting…"

"Hai!" Tenten replied, leading the team out of the audience chamber of the castle.

The small pond that Mimi rested was fed by a waterfall that descended from the side of a cliff. Isolated from the main road, it allowed to her condense her thoughts and focus her mind. Legend says that by looking into the water of the pond would reveal one's truth and it didn't take more than one look to prove it. Though Mimi knew she was alone, she saw the a white dog standing at her side in her reflection. She chocked back tears as she saw the beloved face of her long lost companion. "Shiroko…" she muttered under her breath. 'Can you ever forgive me?' she thought to herself.

"A mangy mutt like you can only tarnish the beauty of this little treasure," spoke a voice from behind her. Before the kunoichi could turn to see the speaker, she saw it's reflection in the water. It was not human at least, not a living human as all that remained were bleached white bones and red pinpricks shining in its eye sockets. Standing beside it was a hound of transcending beauty and might. Gasping in shock, Mimi looked away from the reflection for a hand- the flesh and blood hand of a living human- grabbed her by the shoulder. She was forced to look at its owner, but what she saw disappointed her.

A pale skinned woman with unkempt black hair and deep black eyes wearing a black haori over her chihaya. A small, pudgy Shetland sheepdog stood at her feet, nothing magnificent or godlike about it. "It seems you were expecting more," the woman said sarcastically.

"Are you one of _them_?" She asked, tearing her shoulder out of the woman's grip. She distance between them didn't give her enough time to perform a possession and she was unable to move without either the woman or dog striking.

"No- I'm the spirit of stupidity yet to come," the woman said dryly. "I'm here to show you what happens if you don't do something about that seal. As you saw in the reflection I'm not exactly human- anymore."

"And the dog?" Mimi asked.

"She is the thing you claim that mutt inside you is; a real inugami, but that's besides the point. What I am is what happens to people who keep the seal for a little too long. You see, normal yokai aren't content with being sealed inside a mortal body. Given the chance they'll either break out or worse… Each away the host's soul and replace it. I'm the later in the sense. However unlike many hosts I've bonded with myself- forgive me if it doesn't make sense, but I'd find weirder to address myself as 'we'. You are fortunate that the dog's soul was willing and albeit loyal to you or she do the same. However that doesn't mean that she won't or hasn't if only unintentionally. You see 'Kitsunetsuki', channeling the beast's soul through the body and surrendering control to it, causes a part of the hosts soul to be eaten away by the possessing soul whether they want to or not. The end result once the soul is completely devoured by the possessing, the beast gets your body though generally, the devoured soul leaves a mark on the beast and imprints the personality, mannerisms and ideology of the devoured into it. In short, two souls become more or less one," the woman said in a longwinded explanation.

"If that is our fate then I don't mind!" Mimi said, looking up at the woman.

The woman only shook her head. "You're mistaken. You will not remain as anything more than a memory of a person. I'm not telling you this to warn you about what will happen to you, but what has already happened to the ones you seek to battle. Not all of them, certain number of them have already been devoured. They cannot be saved and they cannot be sealed again," the woman explained.

"I'll kill them then!" Mimi replied hastily.

"Stop jumping to conclusions! What makes you think that you can kill them? They are no longer human; they are in a permanent state of possession! For several years I suspect! If you pitiful mind cannot comprehend the threat you face, they are severally stronger than you! Do. Not. Try. To. Fight. Them!" The woman hissed in frustration, "For the love of Izanami! You're as thick skulled as Izanagi! Are all Inuzuka like this?"

"I can't live like this anymore! I can't this life of a sinner anymore!" Mimi growled. "And I won't let you get in my way!" She swept the woman's feet out from underneath with a low kick. To her surprise, her leg made contact with some horrible thin and hard, as if her legs only consisted of the bones. Looking up at the woman she saw on the skeleton in reflection. It took her a while to realize that was because her head was submerged under the surface of the pond with a skeletal hand holding her under. 'What? When did she? How could she?' Thousands of questions ran through her head as she tried to make sense of what just happened. Was her kick all an apart of an genjutsu or was this a genjutsu, but if either was a genjutsu when did she cast it. Nothing made sense of her. She was thrown into a world where up was down and down was up. Slowly the hand had let go of her and allowed her body to sink into the pond that seemed to have the depth and volume of a lake. Despite knowing for the fact she was lighter than water, she didn't float to the top, but to the bottom. After all up was down and down was up. It made sense to her and that gave her peace of mine. Consenting her drowning death, she closed her eyes.

Honeko dropped the Inuzuka's limp body to the ground, wiping her lips with the sleeve of her haori. "Her chakra was disgusting," the miko muttered to herself. "Though who knew that Shi Daku no Jutsu (Death Embrace Technique) could be activated without an actual 'embrace'."

The Shelty barked and the woman chuckled. "No, she's not dinner. She's more important to us alive than dead." Reaching into her kimono she drew a scroll and unrolled it. Biting her thumb, she drew the character of 人 in the scroll with her own blood and Mimi's body over the drawn Character. Forming a series of Kuji-kiri, she sealed the kunoichi's body within the scroll before rolling it up and storing it back into her kimono. "We're done here, so let's head back and get something to eat."

The Shelty barked in consent as it followed after the woman.

Once the kunoichi had reached the glade where Tenten had met Mimi, they divided in four teams of two and went in separate directions. The Iwa kunoichi were divided into two teams, one consisting of the Hitsugi twins and the other consisting of Shiryu and Momo while the Konoha kunoichi and Kiri kunoichi formed their own teams with their kinswomen. The Hitsugi twins went north as the Iwa couple (as no one knew what to call them) went south, sending the Kiri kunoichi to the east and Konoha kunoichi to the west, each team staying in radio range of the others.

"Tenten-san…" Hinata began as searched the area ahead for any and all chakra signatures with her Byakugan.

"Yes?" Tenten asked, using her keen eyes to pick up any small detail her partner may have missed as they ran.

"What was she like?" Hinata asked after some consideration.

"Um… she was an Inuzuka from what I can tell, but she didn't seem to have a ninja dog with her like Kiba does… In fact I think she have lost her ninja dog; she said she had betrayed the memory of somebody close to her," Tenten said thinking.

"Oh…" Hinata replied. "…Was she pretty?"

"Uh…" Tenten said, trying to both remember how she looked and figure out why Hinata would ask something like that. "Well I guess she could be in a tomboyish way. Her hair was shoulder length and brown and she wore her head band around her right eye, kind of like Kakashi-san does with his. She seemed very sad though."

"Was she pretty?" Hinata asked absentmindedly.

"Is something wrong?" Tenten asked, feeling the Hyuga intended to do more than make idle conversation as they searched.

"No…" Hinata replied, though she wondered the same thing. For whatever reason, thinking of Tenten being alone with another woman caused her heart to ache. She didn't understand- no she didn't want to understand what it was. She was in love Naruto after all! 'Was she?' A voice asked in her head. Yes she was, she told it, but it replied 'Then why are you getting jealous over a mere enemy?' She told herself she wasn't, but the voice continued on, 'Oh come on! You just need to get rid of that bitch, she will be all yours!' Hinata was horrified at the voice's suggestion. How could she even think of something so, so-

"Hinata!" Tenten cried, talking the Hyuga to the ground in time to escape as burst of water bored it's way into the ground. They had neared a river just as a dragon made of pure water rose forth and struck at them. Why hadn't the Hyuga not noticed was beyond the weapon master's reasoning (and much to her worry).

Hinata herself had push back the blush that filled her face at being so close to Tenten before she could grasp what was happening. She was ashamed to have her mind wander off and faintly remember seeing a chakra signature ahead.

"_I stopped to enjoy a cucumber and I found a Hyuga! What a lucky day!"_ Chuckled Kawaki as she rose from the river bed, water streaming down her wet suit. "Greetings I'm Kawaki the Kappa, former kunoichi from Takagakure!"

"You're you've caught her scent?" Tachiko asked Nekomi.

"I fought her before so I know her rotten scent pretty good," Nekomi replied as they ran. "I'm looking forward to interrogating her. An emotional wreck like her is not worth letting live."

"Dog's are natural part of our society. I know you hate them and wish all to die, but that doesn't mean you can kill them all and anyone who associates with them!" Tachiko said. "Though I have to agree. Anybody whose willing associate themselves with Kuroki must die!"

The Kiri kunoichi quickly approached a small pond fed by a waterfall descending from the side of a cliff, causing Nekomi cringe as she caught the scent of another dog. "Of course, where there's an Inuzuka, there's going to be a dog!" she hissed.

"Ignore it and focus on her scent," Tachiko said.

"Tachi-sama…" Nekochi said worriedly.

"You lost it?" Tachiko asked worriedly.

"Yes and no. The scent ends here and the dog's goes… It's not alone though. There's another human with it; a human that smells like death- like the Iwa kunoichi," Nekomi said confused.

"None of the Iwa kunoichi had a dog with them… Could there be a Iwa shinobi amongst the enemy?" Tachiko wandered.

Suddenly something large crashed into the pond, sending water in all directions followed shortly by a harsh panting. "Damn that Mimi… Running after her… Makes me hungry…" Kuchiki said between pants as she stood at the bottom of the pond doubled over. Looking up at the Kiri kunoichi she smiled gluttonously. "You two look tasty."

"Nobody place tongue or tooth on Tachiko (especially her privates) except me!" Nekomi said angrily.

"Do you need declare that?" Tachiko asked embarrassedly.

"So how did your date go with that Lily girl?" Maisoko asked her elder sister teasingly.

"I do not know what you are talking about," Itamu replied, never the one to discuss her private life, especially not while on a mission.

"Oh come on! I saw how she looked at you! She so wanted you to give her a physical," Maisoko teased.

"If you are suggesting I should do something so foolish as pursue a relationship with a woman of a foreign land that I would have to leave behind once we return, I have no comment!" Itamu said coldly.

"You know we don't have to go back. Or atleast you don't. You make a corpse look like you that I can take back-" Maisoko said.

"The ANBU wouldn't be fooled. Besides, we have served our village for countless years and generations! To turn renegade would dishonor our ancestors!" Itamu argued, more to herself than her younger sister. "I'm not turning renegade and that's the end of it!"

"You must like to suffer, Itamu-nee," Maisoko hissed under her breath.

"Hay you guys look funny!" replied somebody out of sight. "Kinda like clowns!" Suddenly shoots of bamboo shot out of the ground, forcing the kunoichi to tumbled out of the way. Appearing at the top of one of the shoots was Panda.

"Shiryu-sama… I'm sorry for what I did," Momo said.

"I've forgiven you for the 450th time. I know you had your reasons, but that's the past. Now let's focus on the future," Shiryu said, sighing.

"I-I know, but what are we going to do? We can't go back to the village- at least not as a couple!" Momo said sorrowfully.

"Don't think about it! We'll figure something out," Shiryu replied.

"But what? If it was known that we were…" Momo's voiced trailed off.

"I said don't worry about it! The old man's going to have to retire someday and when that happens, we're going to have a new Tsuchikage. Some fresh blood will washout the old practices," Shiryu replied, hating that she had to say so much.

"What if he's like the Tsuchikage? I don't want to hide it anymore! I'm tired of pretending!" Momo said.

"So am I, but if we have to… If it helps, I'll get us married before we return to the village!" Shiryu said frustrated.

"Really?" Momo asked.

"Yes! I hear they do it all the time! They may not approve of our relationship, but they have to recognize the fact we are a married couple!" Shiryu said, at her wit's end.

"I love Shiryu-sama!" Momo cried, hugging Shiryu.

"How… Disgusting! People like you make me sick!" Hissed somebody from in front of them. With torn and worn out umbrella unfolded to shield her from the sunlight, Kouryu glared at the Iwa kunoichi. "How can people like you discuss such things under a cloudless sky? Does it even rain in wretched little village? Let me show you what rain is like! I'll make rain with (your) blood!"


	11. Kunoichi Melee

**Chapter****13****: ****Kunoichi****Melee**

Two against one, the kunoichi of their respective villages stood against a single enemy. An advantage in their favor…

"_I'm__honored__to__fight__a__Hyuga__,__"_ Kawaki said, bowing to Hinata. Turning to Tenten, the woman looked the kunoichi over and said, _"I'm__sorry__, __but__I__can't__recognize__your__clan__from__your__appearance…"_

"That doesn't matter! You are allied with _them_aren't you?" Tenten said, taking the scroll from her back and unrolling it.

"_If__you__mean__the__'Makai__Miko'__- __or__so__they__call__themselves__, __then__yes__! __I__am__- __without__a__doubt__- __your__opponent__, __so__may__I__ask__if__we__can__find__some__level__ground__so__that__we__may__fight__on__as__equals__?__"_ Kawaki asked.

"What?" Tenten asked confusedly. 'Was this some sort of trick? Was she trying to stall for time or something?'

"_Please__, __I__wish__only__to__allow__both__my__enemies__a__chance__to__fight__on__equal__ground__with__me__. __While__I__stand__in__this__lake__, __I__have__the__greatest__advantage__,__"_ Kawaki said.

'She's bluffing us?' Tenten wandered, shooting a series of thrown projectiles summoned from her scroll at the woman.

"_Suiton__: __Suijinheki__ (__Water__Release__: __Water__Encampment__Wall__)!__"_ Kawaki said, performing a series of Kujikiri, causing a wall of water to rise in time for the weapons to collide with the wall. The water was so dense that the weapons bounced off the wall and fell to the ground. _"This__is__only__a__tenth__of__my__power__, __so__please__accept__my__offer__. __It__wouldn't__be__very__fair__for__me__to__kill__you__so__easily__.__"_

"Only if we can pick the location!" Hinata said wandering if they could defeat a possibly powerful enemy.

Tenten bit her lip and looked at the kunai and shuriken that littered the ground, the tips of their blades where they had touch the wall of water missing, cut cleanly from the rest of the tool. 'She combined her technique with a futon technique. Anything that touches that wall would be thoroughly threaded- we can't attack her, but it's like she can attack us… Does every member of these 'Makai Miko' have wind nature chakra?'

"_That__is__fine__with__me__,__"_ Kawaki said, bowing to the Hyuga.

"Be careful Nekomi, she's a member of the Akimichi clan. She'll likely use their enlargement techniques to grant her a size advantage over us," Tachiko said, unsheathing her twin kodachi.

"The bigger they are, the easier they are to hit!" Nekomi said, cracking her fingers while brandishing her nekode at the same time.

"Sorry, my momma told me to not play with my food," Kuchiki said with a gluttonous grin. "Yurei Shakuhou: Kitsunetsuki!" She exclaimed loudly. The whites of her eyes turned black as her irises glowed red, her hair came to life and all visible signs of bodily fat rapid disappeared to the point that the woman was almost gaunt. The sound of cracking bone and tearing flesh was followed by a monstrous growled from the back of her head. _**"fEeD**____**mE**____**yOu**____**FaT**____**bItCh**__**! **__**FeEd**____**Me**__**!**__**"**_

"How disgusting!" Tachiko said in revulsion.

"Yeah! You don't know how much exercise and dieting Tachiko-sama has to go through just to keep her womanly figure!" Nekomi cried in agreement.

"That's not what I was talking about!" Tachiko returned in embarrassment.

"It's not…?" Neko said, looking at her partner in confusion.

"I'm talking about the mouth on the back of her head!" Tachiko exclaimed, frustrated.

"She has a mouth on the back of her head?" Nekomi asked in confusion.

"Where do you think that insulting voice came from?" Tachiko asked growing tired of Nekomi's obliviousness.

"I thought she was a good ventriloquist!" Nekomi said honestly.

"Nekomi, if you keep acting like a boke, I will _cut_some sense into you," Tachiko replied threateningly.

"Wah! Tachiko, you're so kinky!" Nekomi cried, clasping her face in her hands and blushed.

"I don't know what kind of sick fantasy you're having, but your head out of the gutter!" Tachiko howled in embarrassment.

"_**WhAt**____**ArE**____**yOu**____**WaItInG**____**fOr**__**, **__**CoW**__**! **__**fEed**____**Me**__**!**__**"**___Growled the monstrous voice from Kuchiki's second mouth. Her ponytails raised into the air and shot forward at the two women.

"Whah! Her hair's alive!" Nekomi cried, nimbly leaping away from the ponytail that sought to grapple her.

"She's a futakuchi-onna, of course her hair is alive!" Tachiko replied, hacking at the other ponytail with her kodachi as she leaped back.

"I'd hate to ask, but what's a futakuchi-onna?" Nekomi asked as she dodged another attack by ponytail.

"*Sigh* When we get back, I'll teach you everything we know about yokai/obakemono," Tachiko said as she hacked more at the ponytail that struck at her.

"Clowns? Have you looked at yourself lately?" Maisoko asked, staring at Panda's white and black painted face.

"Masiko-imoto, do not insult the enemy. We know not what kind of hideous scars she wants to hide with her hideous make up," Itamu said in a snarky way.

"I-I was going to _play_ with you a little, but for that, for that… YOU'RE DEAD!" Panda howled in injustice.

"But we are kinda already dead," Maisoko said, shrugging. "Don't you mean deader?"

"That's impossible, once you're dead, you're dead. There's no way you can be deader than that," Itamu said, "In fact, we are technically alive in an undead way, so clinically, we're the 'living dead' or- as I prefer- the 'unliving'."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Howled Panda in anger. "WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU, THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT!" Drawing her bamboo pipe, she shot her seeds at the two women.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Tekken Hitsugi (Summoning Technique: Iron Coffin)!" Itamu said, drawing a scroll from her clothes and unrolling it. Smoke exploded from the scroll that quickly disappeared, revealing a large, metal Chinese coffin. The seeds struck the coffin without harming it, falling to the ground harmlessly. Itamu slung the coffin by the rope that was wrapped about it over her shoulder as she kneeled down and looked at the seeds. "Let me guess… You shoot these assuming your opponent will dodge with the intent of implanting them wherever they land and then spontaneous cause them to grow at an accelerated rate, impaling anybody caught within range. Am I wrong?"

Panda bit her lip. 'What the hell? Does everybody here have an analytical mind or something? Well the other one looked like an idiot… Now that I think about where has she gone?' "Hay clown goth! Where's the other clown?"

"If you mean my baby sister. You should find out soon…" Itamu said looking to the ground. When nothing happened, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and frustration as she said, "Anytime soon, Maiso-imoto…"

"Is she underground? If she is, I think that's the worse place for her to be. Cause I'm not alone (I hope)," Panda said, looking at the ground.

"What?" Itamu asked, looking at her in confusion confused.

"My name is Aburame Jorouhime, spelt with the kanji for 'oil woman' and 'binding princess', please do not spell my name _any__. _other. way," said a lanky woman in a hoaded trench coat wearing what appeared to be shades with coke-bottle lenses. She stood across from Maisoko in a spacious underground tunnel.

"Wait, are you supposed to be the Jorougumo or the Tsuchigumo?" Maisoko asked in confusion.

"I was named after the Jorougumo in hopes of being beautiful and seductive, but I grew up to lanky- though that is not important, Hitsugi Maisoko. I admit, it's unusual for my prey to come into my liar on their own accord; generally I have to drag them down. It matters not though, for my children will eat you just the same," Jorouhime said as small spiders crawled out of her sleeves, descending to the tunnel floor with the aid of nearly invisible silk threads.

"I'm sorry, but I never told you my name," Maisoko said, eyeing the spiders cautiously.

"I know a lot; my children are _everywhere_," Jorouhime said.

"So you're a spy?" Maisoko asked.

"No. I am just somebody who wants to be alone; my children just tell me everything I need to know. Now if you please don't mind, die," the tall woman said, sending a wave of spiders at the Hitsugi.

"Sorry, but I'm already dead!" Maisoko said, sticking her tongue out.

"Momo, keep on your guard, she's an Ame kunoichi. She likely rely on ranged," Shiryu said, looking at the enemy kunoichi with suspicion.

"Ranged?" Kouryu asked, twisting the bamboo shaft of her parasol and drawing a concealed blade. "I'm sorry, but I'm a melee fighter. However there's no point in fighting under a cloudless sky… Yurei Shakuhou: Kitsunetsuki!" Dark clouds began to gather in sky as the kunoichi's eyes turned black with glowing red irises. Crack of thunder warned the Iwa kunoichi of the coming rain that wasted no time in coming down in force. "Oh, is this so great?" The kunoichi asked as she held her arms out to embrace the rain drops that seeped into every inch of her kimono and cause it to bleed through.

"You must be a skilled combatant if you insist on fighting on less than ideal combat conditions! At this rate the rain water will loosen the soil in the ground, turning the dirt into mud that make getting traction and footing difficult for all three of us. Even if we are to focus the chakra into our feet to allow us to create artificial traction, our chakra reserves will deplete quickly, forcing us to rely on physical attacks to preserve as much energy as possible!" Momo said in a longwinded monologue.

"What was that about relying on only physical attacks?" Kouryu said from behind Momo, slashing with her concealed blade.

Shiryu shoved Momo away from the path of the blade only to be cut into herself. Thrusting with inhuman force with her hand, she pierced the chest of the second Kouryu, causing it to explode into a burst of water. "Why is that whenever your knowledge increases, your common sense takes a nose dive?"

"Shiryu-sama!" Momo cried, staring at the gaping wound in the woman's body. 'I-I know she's, she's, but it's still disturbing.' Something moved out of the corner of her eye. Drawing her Ji Zhaun Lian, she hacked into the body of approaching Kouryu, slicing her in two effortlessly- only for her body to burst apart as water in the following moment. "Mizu Bushin?"

Several forms rose from the quickly forming pools of rain water, each solidifying themselves as doppelgangers of Kouryu. "You're wrong on so many points. As a vessel, I possess more chakra than humanly possible in this form, meaning I can waste as much energy as I want. You on the other hand, don't have half as much stamina, leading to you lose in the long run. In other words-"

Shiryu stabbed right through the Kouryu's body, dispelling it in a burst of water. "Talking isn't a free action. Less exposition, more fighting."

"Right!" Momo said, donning a defensive stance, back to back with Shiryu.

"How cheeky. I'll enjoy killing you wasteland wretches," One of the countless Kouryu doppelgangers said.

"How long is it until we reach Yuri no Kuni, Temari-sempai?" Matsuri asked Temari as the three suna kunoichi sat at a table in a road side inn.

"It will take us several weeks before even get to the border between Hi no Kuni and Yuri no Kuni. Luckily we have already gotten the permission to cross through their country. In fact it seems like we are to rendezvous with a Konoha cell that will be working with us in addition to the already deployed kunoichi," Temari said, taking a sip from her tea.

"I wonder what it be like there," Sari said, taking a bite of a dumpling.

"I've heard things hear and there form sempai, though I don't know what to believe," Temari said, sighing.

"Like what?" Matsuri asked.

"ANOTHER SAKI!" Cried a sand blonde haired woman with brown eyes. Her voluptuous body nearly fell out of the miniature kimono that didn't reach past her hips. She sat a table across the Suna kunoichi with a pair of other women. Both had the same sand blonde hair and brown eyes. One of the women, the tallest amongst the trio, was the tallest and by far the most mature in appearance, dressed in a full length kimono. The other, the smallest and most immature in appearance, wore a similar kimono to the first, but wore it more modestly, having less body to fill it out.

"Never mind that order, she's quite drunk enough as is," the taller woman of the trio said.

"More candy please!" The smallest woman cried out.

"Never mind that order either, you're teeth has been rotted enough!" the tallest woman said somewhat bitterly.

"ONEE-SAMA!" "Onee-chama!" The two other woman whined.

"Don't forget what we are all the way out here for! The more allies we can gather, the better the campaign in Yuri no Kuni will go… Though it's a shame that the tanuki has to be sealed in a male," the tallest woman said, sighing.

"But, don't we got a tanuki?" the smallest girl asked.

"Yes and no. I don't believe in the existence of such a creature, I cannot deny myself the truth of the manner. The more I think on the matter, the worse my head hurts," the tallest woman said.

"Why don't you drink a little! A good little buzz makes all my worries go away!" the drunken woman said.

"You're trust trying to talk me into drinking so that you can swipe drinks from me," the tallest woman said in vexation.

"Come O-nee-sa-ma, live a little… It's because you are so strict that you're still single!" the drunken woman said, crawling onto the table and towards the tallest woman.

"I wouldn't have to be so strict if our mother wasn't a drunkard and amoral, both traits you seem to adopt pretty well," the tallest woman said angrily.

"Don't forget she leaves for days without notice and can be found in the beds of other women like our father!" the smallest woman said cheerfully as if she wasn't aware of the implications of her statement.

"Unlike our father, I'm still alive!" the drunken woman said angrily.

"That's because we can _silence_your bedmates before their spouses can find out about it," the tallest woman said, "Don't forget _who_killed our father."

"Oh, don't act so high mighty! Don't forget _who_killed our mother!" the drunkard said, pointing her finger angrily at the tallest woman.

"Would you rather one of us died instead? She wasn't the mother of the year after all…" the tallest woman said.

"What!" Sari cried in shock.

"I-In public!" Matsuri added, shocked.

"You don't have to be loud about it!" Temari chided embarrassedly.

"What do we have here?" the drunk woman said, looking towards the Suna kunoichi. She got off the table tipsily and made her way towards the kunoichi sat where she wrapped her arms around Temari and said with a lewd smile, "Hay there baby, wanna have a fun time?"

"Not on my watch you lusty brat!" the tallest woman said, chopping the drunk on her head. "I'm sorry about my little sister, she barely chaste sober, ten times worse drunk."

"She's such a sl-!" the smallest of the three women began, but was quickly cut off by the tallest woman. "That hurt, Onee-chaama!" The woman cried, rubbing her head in pain.

"If you got the time to call your sister horrible names, you have time to help me get her off this poor stranger!" The tallest woman said angrily.

Puffing her cheeks out, the smallest woman reluctantly aided her eldest sister pry the drunk from Temari.

"Again I'm sorry for my sister's actions. If there's anything, _anything_, I could do to make up, just name it," the tallest woman said, bowing to Jonin.

"T-that's okay," Temari said, blushing. Matsuri and Sari looked at the kunoichi, such passive and apologetic nature unusual to the kunoichi.

"We're so grateful for your kindness! We are in your debt," the tallest woman said, bowing to Temari apologetically. She and the smallest woman pulled the drunk through the inn's common room and left. Only once outside they allowed the drunk to stand on own two feet. "I take it that was your work."

"Sunagakure, our ooollllddd homeland. Whaaat are they doing here?" The drunk said, barely able to stand up straight.

"We should keep tabs on them. I don't like what the wind's been whispering," the tallest said, shaking her head.

"Can't we just kill them?" the smallest woman asked.

"Not if we don't want to make more trouble than we need," the tallest woman said shaking her head.

Honeko meet with weary glances of the other mikos as she returned to Yuriguni's central shrine. She didn't need to hear their hush tones to know what they were whispering to each other. They were afraid of her; afraid of what she was. She did not try to hide the fact that she was a wolf in sheep's skin nor did she mind their resentment. She preferred it that way; those who treated her nicely were trying to use her or an altogether fool.

"Honeko-sama!" called out a voice from behind her, eliciting the following thought from the monstrous miko, 'Speaking of the later…' She did not need to turn around to know the person addressing her was Amaya Nekochi, the mortal woman her host had been courting for some undetermined reason she had continue to court (she suspects that she had grown fond of the maiden in addition to absorbing her host's genuine feelings). Despite thinking of Amaya as a fool, she is quite capable woman, able to not only keep the entire shrine in working condition in place of her lazy, womanizing sister, but also doggedly take care of a slob like Honeko. Even after she was devoured by her inner yokai, she was treated no differently by her than before. Unfortunately, somebody as hyper independent as Honeko had a hard trouble relying on others and can't help but keep a tally on how much she was indebt to this woman; trying to be too independent hurt the girl as it make her feel unloved and useless. This was probably what she felt now from the sound of worry in her voice.

"Is something wrong?" she said, casting her dark, emotionless eyes down on the girl who was a head shorter than her.

"Please forgive me, but when I couldn't find you, I thought…" Amaya began, her fussing with the hems of her chihaya's sleeves in nervousness. She couldn't voice her fear; she couldn't voice how she was afraid that Honeko had joined the enemy. She tried her hardest to not treat Honeko like a monster like the other mikos did and couldn't understand why Honeko didn't try to get the others treat her better, but she couldn't help but be afraid; not for herself, but Honeko. She wished the woman would bring any problems she had to her, but knew the woman's introverted nature and treatment as a monster was not going to make that likely. She thought that if she made herself useful to her. She cooked her meals, washed her clothes, drew her bath and even offered to be her lover, but to no avail. Her only reward was for her sister to mention what everybody was thinking: When did she become the monster's wife? She didn't like it, not because of the implication towards her dignity, but how the idea of being Honeko's wife made her stomach flutter.

"Please. Like I would ever sell myself to those who fools. I was able to make a life in this land peacefully, why would I want to help those who would take it over with force?" Honeko said, turning to face the miko and embrace.

"I was so worried…" Amaya said, lying her head against Honeko's bosom, fighting back the tears of relief that tried to well up in her eyes. Reaching into the sleeve of her kimono, she grasped the hilt of a tanto tightly.

"We shall be working in joint with the dispatched kunoichi from our own village, Iwagakure, Sunagakura and Kirigakure. Besides our comrades, we are unsure of how many medical-nin have been dispatched in total so we are to focus on attending the wounded before combat," Shizune said to Ino Yamanaka as they- along with Hana Inuzuka, the Haimaru brothers, and Anko Mitarashi ran.

"Yes, Shizune-sempai!" Ino replied.

"Hay Ino, is this your first time to Yuri no Kuni?" Anko asked.

"Yes," Ino replied.

Anko smiled perversely. "Well you're in for a world of wanders!"

"It was a peaceful retreat," Hana added absent-mindedly. Hearing from Tsunade that one of the enemy was an Inuzuka, her heart ached. She knew only one person it could be. For one of her kinsmen, let alone somebody she thought of as a sister, to have be responsible for murder…

Anko cast a worried glance at Hana before saying to Ino, "Hay Ino, you know what Inuzuka have in common with dogs?"

"No, what?" Ino asked, curious.

Anko whispered the answer to Ino, causing the junior kunoichi to blush brightly.

"Whatever she told, it's probably a lie," Hana growled uncharacteristically, more embarrassed than angry by Anko's mischief.

"Is that so? I remember you begging me to-" Anko before she was cut off mid-sentence by Hana.

"Say anymore and I'll show you my bite is worse than my bark," the Inuzuka replied, her pupils taking on a more animalistic nature. The Haimaru brothers growled instinctively, their hackles standing on end though they didn't know what was happening.

Shizune sighed and wandered to herself. 'All of the kunoichi in the village, why are only these three were available?'


	12. The Price of Pride

**Chapter****14****: ****The****Price****of****Pride**

Kawaki was disappointed with the sight of the rain; so much she sighed. _"It__seems__we__will__need__hurry__. __If__this__is__the__work__of__my__comrade__, __she'll__eventually__forecast__acid__.__"_

"Do you normally try to kill one another when fighting enemies?" Tenten asked sarcastically, looking anxiously at Hinata. She didn't know if she could trust the Taki kunoichi, but she had a gut feeling there was truth to the woman's words. Hinata only nodded her concern as she scouted far distances with her Byakugan.

"_They__do__at__any__chance__they__get__. __We're__waging__on__who__find__one__of__our__comrades__that__have__gone_missing_first__. __Kouryu__is__going__to__make__rain__with__our__blood__, __Kuchiki__is__going__to__eat__us__and__as__for__Panda…__I__don't__even__want__to__know__what__that__perverted__mind__is__thinking__of__!__"_Kawaki said anxiously.

"And you?" Tenten asked hesitantly. For whatever reason, she was finding the woman to be better than every other enemy she had up to this point.

"_Please__don't__laugh…__but__I__wanted__only__all__the__cucumbers__I__can__eat…"_Kawaki admitted a little embarrassed.

"That's… really normal," Tenten said in surprise. (It's really refreshing to find an enemy who doesn't want to kill everything in sight just for laughs.)

'She's very friendly with another woman,' spoke the voice in Hinata's mind. 'No! It's not like that! She's just trying to…' she told herself. 'Trying to do what exactly?' the voice replied, 'Don't worry. Nothing's wrong in wanting the Taki bitch dead-' 'NO! I'm not like that! Even, even if I felt that way for her I wouldn't want that!' Hinata thought in horror. 'Oh come on! She's an enemy! You know that's the only way you're getting away from here alive! You gotta do what you gotta do and hell, why not get something else out of it?' 'What!' Hinata thought in reply utterly frightened by what the voice was telling her. She didn't notice that she was crying until Tenten whispered into her ear, her arms wrapped about the kunoichi's waste, "Whatever's going on it's okay; I'm here for you." The kunoichi was dumbstruck by the weapon master's sudden embrace and her body burned bright red.

Kawaki watched in displeasure. Though she enjoyed such romantic encounters, she wasn't pleased to have assistance. _"Inou__, __stop__playing__mind__games__with__my__opponents__. __I__do__not__need__your__help__nor__do__I__appreciate__it__! __Do__you__understand__?__"_ She hissed to nobody in general. 'I hope you can pay the price of your pide, Ka-wa-ki…' a voice snarled in Kawaki's mind. _"I__don't__wish__to__hasten__either__of__you__, __but__I__think__we__should__hurry__,__"_Kawaki said cheerfully.

-Kuchiki vs. Kiri-

"Is it me or is her hair growing back like in some horror movie?" Nekomi asked, panting. Repeatedly dodging and slashing at the hair that relentlessly attacked without sign of stopping.

"She is likely using the calories she burned away with her transformation to accelerate the growth rate of her hair!" Tachiko said, hacking strands of her hair right and left.

"Uh… Me dumb! Me don't understand!" Nekomi said confusedly, leaping away from a ponytail that whipped out in her direction.

"Last time I checked, you had an I.Q. of 175, so mind telling me what you didn't understand?" Tachiko said in exasperation as she cut off more hair.

"You said the puzzle was a game!" Nekomi replied as she slashed at an exposed strand of hair. Suddenly mass strands of hair wrapped about her arms.

"Then think of this as a game!" Tachiko said, cursing to herself. (She's beginning to slow down at this rate-) she was stopped mid sentence as she felt hands between her flesh and the clothing over it.

"Combat isn't a game, but stripping you under a minute is!" Nekomi said perversely as she stood behind Tachiko. The Nekomi that was entangled in Kuchiki's hair turned into a puddle of water.

"Nekomi, not now!" Tachiko hissed, blushing brightly in embarrassment. Just then a tentacle like ponytail pierced them through the stomach.

"Come on! She can't keep up with me!" Nekomi said, holding Tachiko while standing feet away from where she was before as the impaled duo turned into water.

Suddenly a few teeth fell from the Kuchiki's second mouth as a deep cut formed in it's pink, fleshy lips. The second mouth released an anguished cry of pain and anger; in comparison nails on a chalkboard was a lot more pleasant to listen to. _**"I**____**wIlL**____**eAt**____**YoU**____**wReTcHeD**____**bItChEs**__**! **__**I**____**wIlL**____**eAt**____**YoU**____**aLl**__**!**__**"**_

"I think we pissed her off," Nekomi said bluntly.

-Itamu vs. Panda-

"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" Panda howled as she jumped from shoot of bamboo to another as she dodge Itamu's iron coffin that was thrown out and yanked back at the ease of its wielder. "STOP THROWING THAT THING!"

"You're very athletic. I'm already interested in your body," Itamu said with a sly grin. Spinning the coffin about on a connecting steel chain, she whipped the coffin out in a dead curved, wiping out bamboo shoots as it cut a swath through them

"Hay aren't you in a relationship? A girl named Akemi? What would she think if she heard you talking like that?" Panda said jumping to the remaining bamboo shoot.

Itamu yanked the coffin back hard and caught it in a single hand. "For starters, I was only speaking from a professional point of view and secondly you know quite a lot. Mind imparting your source or must I extract it from your corpse?"

A wide smile crossed Panda's face. "What's wrong? Are you worried that I know about your private life?"

"Private? No. Our relationship seems to be known by the general public, so no I'm not. What I'm worried about how you can know something like that and what other _secrets_ you might know about us and our allies." Spinning the coffin about in the air once more, she threw it straight at the remaining bamboo stalk with little effort.

Panda leaps from the remaining bamboo stalk as the heavy iron coffin cuts through it. She reached into her pocket for more seeds, loading them in her bamboo blowgun as she prepared to fire. However, a twist and a tug from Itamu caused the coffin to change direction mid flight and swing around Panda, binding the kunoichi's arms within the steel chain. Before the kunoichi could get a chance to speak, the Hitsugi yanked the coffin back.

Catching Panda by the throat in one hand, she produced a scalpel in the other saying with a grim face. "Again: Mind imparting your source or must I extract it from your corpse?"

-Maisouko vs. Jorouhime-

"Eek! Spiders! Somebody help me!" Maisouko exclaimed mockingly while thinking to herself, (An Aburame- I better keep those arachnids away from me before they start draining my chakra! I'll just by some time and-) As she tried to bring her hands together to perform kuji-kiri, she found her arms bound by an unseen force. (Spider thread!)

"You won't be escaping us so easily my dear prey. Please don't struggle. It takes long enough removing your body from the thread as is, all I need is to remove extra thread from your body," Jorouhime said, slowly walking towards to Maisouko.

Maisouko looked at the thread and squinted her eyes. With enough concentration she saw the nearly invisible threads that trapped her arms. (As she suggests, this stuff will just wrap itself around me the more I struggle, but I must remove my arms from this without struggling. It's a like a finger trap, the more effort you put in, the worse your fingers are trapped, but if you relax your fingers, you will be able to remove them with ease… Too bad I always got my way out by breaking it!) With a flex of muscles, forced her arms together and was dumbfounded to find that her arms in ended in bloody stumps.

"By the way, those threads are razor sharp and will cut you through the bone if do anything stupid," Jorouhime said looking at the shocked woman without any signs of emotion.

"Well that would've to nice to know _before_I tried something stupid," Maisouko said, looking at the severed arms that hung in the webs. Beyond normal reasoning, one of the hands gave her a thumbs up. "Good thing I'm already dead or I'd quickly die from bleeding to death (though Itamu-nee is going to give me hell about reattaching those arms)," she added, stomping on the ground with one foot with enough strength to pierce the ground, with just the muscles in that leg she kicked up, sending a wall of earth in between her and the quickly encroaching spiders. Standing against the wall of earth and turning to face her arms, she spat a series of scalpels that just through the strands and released the entangled arms that fell the ground. Crawling with nothing more than their fingers, they reached the Hitsugi and crawled up her body. Resting on her shoulders, they proper their wrists up so that she could get a look at her nails. "Are they always this dirty?"

Jorouhime on the other side of the wall stood still, expressing no emotion. "The threads have gone slack. She's must have found a means to cut them. She is a rather intriguing enemy. I look forward to seeing how long she can survive without her arms."

-Kouryu vs. Iwa-

The air was filled with water both falling and flying. The rain continued to downpour on the kunoichi that destroyed one water doppelganger after another, Momo dancing through the rain soak battlefield with a grace both beautiful and terrifying as Shiryu struck fast and hard. Momo used her chicken sickle swords to catch the doppelganger's weapons while attacking with a free blade or a kicking with foot and leg. Kouryu rammed her hands through the doppelganger's body with little force, kicking back to decapitate a doppelganger trying to circle behind her. Jumping off her supporting leg as another tried to throw her off balance, she dispatched the enemy with the same leg while landing on her hands and tipping herself upside down. Launching herself into the air she righted herself while performing a dramatic mid-air pose the kind that could be seen in some wuxia film. Momo, catching sight of this, places a foot on a water doppelganger and propels herself into the air.

"Earth Style: Heaven Piercing Spikes (土遁:天国のピイアスのスパイク Doton: Tengoku no Piasu no Supaiku)!" Shiryu calls out as she forms a series of kuji-kiri as she descends. Massive spikes of stone shoot from the ground and impale all the visible Kouryu doppelgangers. Shiryu lands atop one of the spikes without impaling herself. Momo fails to land on one of the spikes, forcing her to catch her hooked blades on the tip of one, forcing her to dangle from there. "A little more warning, Shiryu-sama?" she whined as she placed her feet on the side of the spike and climb atop of it.

"Don't whine; It's very unbecoming," Shiryu said. "Besides I was getting tired of fighting her infinite army."

"Where is she? I didn't see her dodge the spikes and she's not impaled on any of them…" Momo wondered.

"You should have used that in the first place! You'd save so much energy fighting my doppelgangers!" Kouryu called out from above. She hung from her torn up parasol that despite it's appearance rode an unseen air current with ease. Forming hand seals with a single hand she grinned viciously as the rain clouds boomed with thunder and flashed with lightning. "Lightning Style: Flash Lightning (雷遁:フラッシュ雷 Raiton: Furasshu Kaminari)!" A bright flash of light preceded rising lightning originating from the ground. The earthen spikes crumbled on contact, leaving nothing but smoldering ash in it's wake. "Too bad you're dead now!"

"Unfortunately, you're wrong…" said a voice from the sky. Riding atop a coffin that was rising through the air by an unknown force was Hitsugi Shiryu and Bochihana Momo. "Heaven Style: Celestial Burial (天遁:天の埋葬 Tenton: Ten no Maisou). Not even gravity can stand before the force of heaven," Momo said proudly. As the coffin raised itself in an elevation higher than Kouryu, they leapt from atop it and threw themselves at the Ame kunoichi. Flying to either side to Kouryu, they struck her at the same time. "Heaven on Earth: Tragon* (地上の天国:虎ゴン Chijou no Tengoku: Toragon)!"

Blood rose into the heavens as the trio plummeted to the earth. Dropping her chicken sickle blades, Momo brought her hands together and bowed her head. "Heaven Style: Falling Feather (天遁:立-羽 Tenton: Tatsu-Wa)!" The trio's descent slowed to the point that of a feather, landing safely on the ash strewn ground.

"You've gotten faster at releasing that technique, haven't you?" Shiryu said, smiling to Momo.

"I've been practicing!" Momo replied, blushing.

"I-I'm still alive, fools!" hissed Kouryu between coughs of blood. "Water Style: Raining Acid (水遁:酸の雨 San no Ame)!"

-Suna & Konoha-

The trio from Sunagakure and the quartet from Konoha met at a small road side tea house within the Southern region of Hi no Kuni. "You're late," Temari replied grumpily to the Konoha kunoichi once they were in speaking range. "I'd expect you to be here first. This is _your_country after all!"

"Please forgive Temari-sempai! She's been in a bad mood since she was harassed by a drunk a few nights ago!" Matsuri said with Sari adding, "We've running like crazy just to get here! We only got to stay at one inn the whole time we were in Kawa no Kuni!"

"Please forgive us! It took us time to gather enough members to be deployed… About that aren't one shinobi short of a standard squad?" Shizune asked, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment at being scolded by someone much younger than herself.

"The only other kunoichi Ga- I mean Kazekage-sama feels is qualified to partake on this mission is currently returning to the village from another village and will be deployed as soon as possible! Now-" Temari was cut off mid-sentence by the growling of her stomach. "Let's stop and regain our strength. We can share what we know of the enemy and insure that the younger members are aware of the customs and laws of Yuri no Kuni!"

Ino, Matsuri and Sari blushed at hearing Temari's last sentence.

-Honeko & Mimi-

Deep underneath the main shrine of Yuri no Kuni was a dark and dank subterranean cave with a smaller shrine of sorts. It's only cavern was guarded by two skeletal warriors were quite lively for being clearly dead. The shrine appeared to be in long disuse (or at least neglect) with the paper walls torn and faded and the wood rotted and broken. The only thing that lit the area were numerous floating fire balls in shades in green and blue.

As Honeko approached the skeletal guards, they quickly brought their crossed spears to their sides and saluted the monstrous miko with their free hand as she passed. The hito-dama flew straight to the woman, almost blinding her as the source of light in the cave became focused in that sole area. "I will send you off properly later, now put out that damn light!" As commanded, the lights winked out one by one. The sound of spears crossing, drew the miko's attention behind her. It was Amaya. Honeko said to the skeletal guards, "She doesn't seem to trust me."

"It's not that!" Amaya said as she cast weary glances at the living skeletons. "I-I just wanted to be with you. You disappear so often, I get lonely…"

Sighing, Honeko wandered why her heart panged with guilt so suddenly. "She may enter," she said to the skeletons who pulled back their spears again.

Amaya scurried past them, unconsciously feeling for the tanto hidden in her sleeve to insure it was still there. Hesitantly she asked, "Where is this?"

"A shrine to postmortem Izanami, the kami of death," Honeko said. "It's a relay point between the living world and yomi. In other words, a shrine devoted to the afterlife and my haunting grounds."

"Before or after you, _ate_ you- er, the real Honeko!" Amaya asked.

"We are technically one, but it doesn't matter how you think about me(us). As to answer you question, _she_was haunting this place long before I did. In fact she was the one who set those ghastly things there and took onto herself the duty that these wretched hito-dama are sent to the afterlife (I swear you have hold there hands all the way!) She even pays tribute to Izanami in order to stay in favor with the death goddess. She even insisted that I(we) should compose a list of all the traitorous bitches in this land and give them to the Iwa kunoichi- not because _we_give much a damn about our dear princess, but so that we can offer their deaths to Izanami-no-Mikoto. Don't even get me started how I(we) have to purge my(our) bodies of impurities for just touching a corpse! You miko are so restless!" Honeko ranted.

"I'm sorry, but can you repeat that? All that subtext confused me," Amaya said, rubbing her head.

"Long story short. I don't like to talk about myself in 'multi-person', but my host was a very busy woman and very faithful to Izanami. Though I wasn't, I am now because of her. Understand? (Please don't make me go through this whole soul-merging explanation again!)" Honeko asked impatiently.

"I don't, but forget I said anything," Amaya said, again reaching for her tanto.

"You know if you keep that up, people will start thinking you're not really right in the head and you the yandere vibes I'm getting from you is creeping me out!" Honeko said, slowly making her way to the shrine.

"I'm sorry," Amaya said, casting her eyes to the ground in embarrassment.

"Never mind that, if you're going to hang about, you might as well help me," the monstrous miko said, drawing a scroll from her Haori as she entered the shrine. "She'll need to be restrained if we want her to survive the resealing."

"Resealing?" Amaya asked in confusion.

"Like hell I'm going let her to go battle with just a weakling little mutt she has in her already… If she's going to getself killed, she might as well do it with the blessing of Hachimi-sama," Honeko replied as she disappeared into the shrine.

"Hachimi-sama?" Amaya asked as she stepped into the shrine, no familiar with the name.

"She passed away before her master did, but couldn't bare leaving her master behind so she sat at the border between this world and Yomi and awaited her master's soul. Her loyalty earned Izanami's favor and was allowed to become a shinigami so that she may escort her master's soul to Yomi personally," Honeko said, rubbing a bronze statue of a dog lovingly. "This is all I can do for a death seeker."


	13. Rain of Death

Chapter 15: Rain of Death

With the gathering of dark clouds, Kuchiki snarled and shouted, "Damn you Kouryu! You're always messing with my fun!" **"EsCaPe, YoU dAmN cOw! EaT tHaT bItCh ThE nExT tImE yOu SeE hEr!"** Commanded the second mouth. The ponytails tore into the ground and ripped out large chunks of earth, tossing them aside as it soon exposed an underground tunnel. Kuchiki leaped into the tunnel and ran off.

Tachiko and Nekomi looked to each other confusedly, not understanding what the woman meant. The only thing that made sense was the fact the woman wanted to escape and fast which could only one thing. Something was going to happen and they better escape. Leaping down after the Akimichi, they gave chase while gaining shelter at the same time.

**-**Kawaki vs. Konoha-

Hinata located a run down and abandoned dojo for the Konoha duo and Kawaki to take cover in the nick of time before the effects of Kouryu's Raining Acid technique could set in, though the inn's roof in long need of repair still allowed corrosive droplets through in spots. However it was enough for the warriors who wished to battle without risking outside damage from the weather.

The trio strode into the training hall of the dojo where was the most space. Finding a suitable battlefield, Kawaki prepared for combat- by undressing. Before the surprised and confused kunoichi's eyes the woman removed her wetsuit, turtle shell covered air tanks, beak shaped breathing mask and rubber flippers, wearing only a sarashi and fundoshi underneath. Shaking loose her short sky blue hair loose, she regarded the kunoichi with her aquamarine eyes. "I'm sorry, but I wish to fight with you on equal terms."

"R-right!" Tenten said, blushing.

"Now that I've removed unnecessary weight, I shall make a request. Though I've asked to fight you both, I find it more formal and sportsmanlike if we go about one-on-one matches with the following conditions: If either of you can defeat me, I will freely tell all of which I know of any topic you desire and promptly allow you to decide my fate, but if I am able to defeat both of you, I fear I must kill you," Kawaki said.

"Rather polite of you to go through all of this effort," Tenten said, thinking to herself 'It's hard to think of her of an enemy when she goes to such lengths.'

"It's nothing, though I must also ask to fight Hyuga-san first, if you don't mind, Konoha-san," Kawaki said, smiling at Hinata. "I wish to fight her at all my strongest."  
"Alright," Tenten said, stepping the nearest wall of the dojo's training floor and leaning against it. 'Hinata's better at close combat and has the aid of the Byakugan so even if she does lose, I can tag in finish off the opponent. Though I'm worried; she's been acting kind to us, but is that a ploy to make us drop our guard? Becareful Hinata, we don't know what she's capable of.'

As Kawaki pointed out their starting positions, she formed a series of hand seals, "Suiton: Suijinheki (水遁:水陣壁 Water Release: Water Encampment Wall)!"A ring of water rose to form an aquatic wall around the kunoichi. "Hyuga-san, I must sincerely apologize for earlier. An ally of mine, I believed she came from your own very village, was using a more unusual technique original to herself to place no doubt unpleasant thoughts in your head. I will not inquire what those thoughts were, but I say this: What ever she told you are pitiful lies designed only to weaken you! Think not of them and strike me will your full strength!"

"T-Thank you; I shall." Hinata replied hesitantly as she remember the violent thoughts that had worried her from before. Clearing her mind of them, she activated the Byakugan and gauged her opponent's Chakra. She was startled to find it was unusually high, though it didn't distract her from the fact a strong amount of chakra was focused on her feet. 'Is she molding chakra into her feet to anchor herself to the spot?' In order to find you, she charged the woman while molding chakra into her palms as she curled her fingers and thumbs. Thrusting one of her hands at the woman, she released a bullet of compressed chakra at her. "Hakke Kuushou (八卦空章 Eight Trigrams Empty Palm)!"

As she the kunoichi move, Kawaki crouched down with legs spread apart for stability in the same fashion as a summon wrestler and reached out with her hands in preparation for the attack. She molding chakra into her arms, she increased her strength only to be taken by surprise when the Hyuga sent a ranged attack at her. Crossing her arms at the last second, she tossed them apart as soon as they intercepted the bullet of chakra, parrying the attack while minimizing the force to her body. However the blow was strong and she was forced back a few inches. "Good blow, but it'll take more than that to defeat me!" She said, readying herself for the next attack.

Hinata did not slow the slightest as she saw the woman defend against her attack. She continued her charge and when she got within close range of Kawaki, she released the chakra in her other hand with another palm forward jab. "Hakken Hasangeki (八卦破山撃 Eight Trigrams Mountain Crusher)!"

Kawaki knew she could parry the next attack as she did the first and made no attempt to defend herself as she grabbed Hianta by the arms. With the force of the chakra bullet shot at close range, she was knocked back, but she was taking Hinata with her. As the two kunoichi flew back, Kawaki swung the weight of her body to the side so that their bodies would rotate in air but only enough that Hinata was facing the wall. "Kappa Ryu: Kaiten! (河童流:踵回転 Kappa Style: Turn)!"

"Hinata!" Tenten cried as she watched the Hyuga fly backwards towards the water of shredding water.

Raising her legs so that her feet faced the wall of water, Kawaki molded a condensed amount of chakra into her feet, turning them grey as they took on the properties of stone. "Doton: Ishi no Ashi (土遁:石の足 Earth Style: Stone Feet)!" As her feet safely touched the wall of shredding water, she kicked off, flinging them away from the water wall. "Kappa Ryu: Chouyaku (河童流:跳躍 Kappa Style: Leap)!" "I'm sorry, but this where I must start fighting." She warned Hinata as she pulled her legs back and kicked at the Hyuga's knees with bone shattering strength. "Kappa Ryu: Hiza Keri (河童流:膝蹴り Kappa Style: Knee kick)!"

Hinata cried out in pain as she felt her knee caps shatter under the force of the women's petrified feet. The women let the Hyuga go who fell to the ground, unable to stand on her two feet. Before she could try to pick herself up, Kawaki straddled her and grabbed her arms. Over powering the kunoichi with ease, she forcibly raised the Hyuga's arms and slammed her elbows into the wooden floor with bone shattering force. "Kappa Ryuu: Hiji no Funsai (肘の粉砕 Kappa Style: Elbow Crush)!" Tears of pain streaked Hinata's shoulders as fought back an anguished scream.

"HINATA!" Tenten screamed in horror. She clenched her fists in frustration as she was helpless to do anything.

Standing up, Kawaki rose a foot into the air and stomped on Hinata's chest, shattering several ribs underneath. "Kappa Ryuu: Sutonpu Mune (河童流:ストンプ胸 Kappa Style: Chest Stomp)!" Rising the same foot, she laid the foot atop of Hinata's head and said, "Please surrender or I will take your life."

"I-I…surrender!" Hinata said between gasps in her now shallow breathing.

Kawaki removed her foot and released the water wall, allowing Tenten to run to the Hyuga's side.

"Hinata!" Tenten cried, cradling Hinata's head in her arms.

"I-I'm…sorry…Tenten-san," Hinata said, gasping for air.

"She fought well, but I fear the years I spent studying the Gentle Fist style has left her no chance of winning against me," Kawaki said. "Don't worry. She'll live-for now. If you can defeat, I will even fix her body up before allowing you to decide my fate. But if you lose, then I'll make her death as quick and painless as possible."

-Yurishen, Barracks-

Akemi polished the blade of her naginata absentmindedly, wondering how Itamu was doing. The she had first met the woman only briefly only months before when the Hitsugi trio had come to their country on request of the previous Yurijoou. They had been investigating soldiers, going as far as going in an all out strip search. The soldiers were quite embarrassed and quite confused at the sight of Shiryu, though the twins insured them their cousin was just a cross-dresser. When it came time for Akemi to be stripped search, she was very nervous and worried, having been raised in an old-fashioned family with a tradition of marrying their children off to the first person who seen them naked. However, she was under orders to cooperate and thus she was left only a prayer her family did hear of this. Due to the number of soldiers that they were investigating, they had to divide up to cover the entire barracks, leaving Akemi with Itamu. It was an unusual encounter as Itamu seemed to take a great interest in the soldier's body, remarking how good condition her body was. She had no means of knowing the ninja's specialization and thereby didn't find any subtext within the kunoichi's analysis, but was very embarrassed nonetheless. However something bothered her.

The investigation was very strenuous and Itamu had to remove her make up in order to keep her sweat from smearing it, revealing a very human face with horribly scars spreading from the edges of her mouth in an elongated frown to below her ears. Akemi didn't want to ask about them sure that the woman was conscious about them, but she couldn't keep from staring at them, leading Itamu to notice and reply with, "These are to remind me that there is no happiness in a world without love," Itamu said, touching the scars sadly. "I have to carved them back in whenever they heal. You probably wouldn't understand our pain, living in a land that accepts you for who you are- but I rather like that. You're pretty to do something so horrible to yourself."

Akemi's heart began beating fast and hard at the kunoichi's comments and ever since she has been unable to think about anything else. Even after she learned the true purpose of the trio's presence in this land, she couldn't help to admire the woman she found to be beautiful in spite of her scars. When she learned about the Hitsugi's desire to turn the soldiers into "immortals", she was frightened, but wanted to do it for her.

She was jerked back to reality by the sound of screaming. Before she knew, the soldiers in the barracks were rushing out to see what was happening while the soldiers outside were rushing civilians inside, both they and the civilians covered in horrible acid burns. As she was about to join the confusion, a explosion of smoke appeared before and when it cleared she found Itamu burned and wet carrying a metal coffin. Before she could run to the woman's side, the kunoichi dumped the contents of the coffin out on the ground. It was Panda, gagged and bound. "Use any means possible, but put her in secure location and do not take your eyes off her. I will intend any wounded that has taken shelter in here before traveling to the next closest locations.

Akemi considerably confused and torn between comforting the kunoichi that was wounded and obeying the kunoichi's orders. It took a few seconds of sorting her priorities before she could do as Itamu asked, allowing the kunoichi to attend the wounded.

-Maisouko vs. Jurouhime-

Maisouko wandered about the caverns for some time, crushing any spiders she saw to be safe. She was hopelessly lost and she felt a little anemic from the blood lost. Because she was already dead, she couldn't die from blood loss, but that didn't mean she couldn't suffer any other ill effects from it. Wearily singing to herself, she had to admit she was quickly growing bored with the non-descript and unchanging passages. In fact she was almost tempted to let the next spider she found lived so that Jurouhime could find her. Just by dumb luck she found a part of tunnel that happened by faintly lit from above. To her suspicions there seemed to be an exit above. Crouching down, she shot skywards in a powerful leap as she hit head first on the brick that was covering the whole by which was pushed aside as she continued her ascent all be it a little slowed. She didn't recognize the room outside the fact it had to be somewhere in Yurishen's castle. It was well decorated and appeared to be a bed room at that. Turning about she saw a large, comfortable bed and a naginata at her face.

Sizume stood with a bed sheet wrapped around her otherwise naked body, her face somehow both bright red and pale as she stood before Maisouko. A form could be seen hiding under the covers of the bed, no doubt a very embarrassed Barahime.

"So this is where this tunnel leads. You might want to get some soldiers down here. I'm not sure, but I have a feeling these tunnels extend to the rest of the city." Maiouko said, her detached hands rubbing the back of her head.

Unseen by the women a spider slipped into the tunnel and crawled its way through winding tunnels until it found its way to Jiraihime. The woman reached out and took the spider in her palm. "I see. That will problematic. I'd leave these tunnels, but I fear that Kouryu has brought down liquid death and Kuchiki has burrowed into my tunnels." Sighing she added, "These tunnels took a very long time to make too."

-Kouryuu vs. Iwa-

Shiryuu and Momo found themselves in wide spacious tunnels, having used Doton: Mogurakure no Jutsu (土遁:土竜隠れの術 Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique) to submerge from the rain when detecting a hollow area. They were unsure of Kouryuu's fate, though they assumed that she would be able to survive her own technique (otherwise, she might have as well performed suicide). However their concern of their enemies were delayed by the discovery of the tunnels. Deciding to investigate, they soon found themselves standing a fork.

"We could split up," Momo offered, but Shiryuu turned her down. "We'll need to stay together. After all the serial killer always strikes after the victims are isolated." Shiryuu states. "Then we must decide which way to go. Eny, meny, miny, moe, tag a corpse by it's toe. If it cries, dissect it's brain. My momma says to pick the very best and you are not it!" With each word she sung, she pointed to one of the connecting tunnels until she ended with the left tunnel. "Considering your sense of direction, we'll be taking the other tunnel." Shiryuu said as she walked down the tunnel not chosen. "Wait a second, don't leave me!" Momo cried, chasing after Shiryuu.

Just as the duo had disappeared down the tunnel. Kuckiki came running out of the left tunnel and skidded to a stop. Panting in exhaust she cursed Kouryuu and promised to deep fry her if they saw her before running down the right tunnel. Nekomi and Tachiko followed shortly behind.

"My it's gotten noisy down here," muttered Jurouhime as she exited the tunnel that the Iwa duo had came from. "I better make sure Kuchiki doesn't get lost and die from starvation- or worse, start eating my children." She said as she walked down the left tunnel in a leisurely pace.

-Kouryu-

Kouryu laid lifeless in the corrosive rain, allowing for it fall around her harmlessly, her possessed state regenerating any damage the acid did. She had watched as the two Iwa kunoichi fled with very little concern. 'I'll let Jurouhime take care of them. I guess I should be finding Mimi, but I don't know… With this rain, I just want to lay about and think about the good days…' She said, rolling over.

It was nearly a decade ago that she passed the academy graduation exam, taking on the title of Genin. She was an all around genius in terms of grades, though she had to struggle with her lack of energy on rainless days, which we few and far between. She was tall, soft spoken and graceful, the admiration of her peers both male and female. She was also unapproachable, emotionally and mentally. Many have dubbed "God's Angel Trainee" in her devotion in emulating "God's Angel" Konan. She worked hard on completing missions one after another, advancing quickly through the ranks with an rigorous furry so that she may get closer to her idol's side.

With each promotion she came one step closer to her "Angel", but she had made many enemies along the way. Dispatching those who she deemed a threat to Konan she had enraged the loved ones of her victims. Insuring that none of her kills would endanger her status within the village and thereby destroy all her hard work and progress, she was able to keep her enemies at bay though she knew all it would take would be one slip up before they would pounce on her. This opportunity came all too soon when Kouryuu made a loyal servant of "God" disappear. Branded a traitor to the village, she was forced to fled as her former comrades (including her enemies in the waiting) pursued without end.

She had to kill to survive, something she was already used to, but when she was forced to kill the people that had admired her- the people blindly stepped on her ascent to her angel, she began to be regret her actions. They did not strike at her with hatred swearing vengeance, but remorse asking how she do such horrible things. Some even didn't try to kill her, but begged her to bring them with her. She enjoyed killing them the least. She can't close her eyes without hearing their pleas and declarations of love for her, their screams as she killed them. What were they in love with anyway? Surely not the deprived and murderous stalker who eliminated enemies in her quest for a one-sided romance.

If she remembered, it never rained on those days. Then again once she left the realm of her village, she found the outside world didn't rain as much. She hated when it didn't rain. She hated the sun and cloudless sky. She hated snow and she hated hail. She hated all forms of weather besides rain. She hated this world without her angel. She would make it rain and rain and rain and rain. Even if it meant she would flood the world, she will make it rain eternally- with the blood of everyone that stands in her path! And then she shall once again with her angel. Her beloved angel! Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, dreaming of only Konan.

-Konoha & Suna-

"What should we do onee-chama?" asked a childish voice as three shadows watched the two groups of kunoichi converse over a warm meal.

"We should've killed the Suna girls when could, onee-sama!" a woman's voice added with hints of drunken slur.

"Don't whine! We have just to make sure they don't reach Kuni no Yuri. With the Tanuki's help, we shouldn't have that much trouble!" a third, older and more mature, voice said reassuringly.

"By where is (s)he?" the childish voice, using the third person unisex pronoun of yatsu (やつ A thing, due, guy).

"Probably flashing hir's 'golden balls' at pretty girls! *Hick*" the second voice proposed, using the same pronoun.

"I don't want to think what _it_is doing!" the third stated in disgust, using the pronoun aitsu (あいつ he/she, that person).

"Do you pretty girls want to see my golden balls?" asked a young woman with short brown hair, wearing a short kimono as she leaned over the table that the seven kunoichi were sitting at. Reaching under her kimono, she pulled two golden orbs out of her underwear and places them on the table. The kunoichi looked at the new comer with shock and surprise, unsure of what was happening.

"T-That idiot!" Howled the oldest of the voices in frustration.

"You're right onee-chama!" the youngest voice exclaimed in surprise.

"You know how (s)he works!" the drunken voice replied cheerily.

"T-They're beautiful!" Sari said, lifting one of the golden orbs in her hand. "And warm."

"And hairy…" Matsuri added as she picked up the other.

Anko chuckled to herself as Temari and Shizune looked to each other worriedly. Hana was fixated by a familiar scent. "Is there a tanuki nearby?" She asked.

"You've got a pretty good nose there!" the brown haired woman said brushing up against the woman, causing her to blush as she felt something press into her side. "No, that's not a kunai in my fundoshi!" she said, smiling perversely at the Inuzuka. The Haimaru brothers began to growl at the woman protectively.

Two of the three voices had to restrain themselves from bursting out in inappropriate laughter as the third and oldest only sighed in shame.

"By the way girlies we're here to kill you!" the brown haired woman said cheerfully. "I'd hate to pull the rug out from under you, but…" she grabbed the floor and pulled up as though it was rug. The entire inn they were staying at was pulled out from beneath the kunoichi, sending them tumbling as she did. Horrifyingly the inn shrunk disappeared under the woman's kimono.

"What's going on?" Ino asked both horrified and confused by the creature before her.

Temari, picking herself off the ground, unfolded her massive fan and swung it with great force, creating a strong gust of wind that knocked the woman back. "Kamaitachi no Jutsu (カマイタチの術 Sickle Weasel Technique). As the woman was cut by the wind, she turned into a pile of leaves. "Stay on your guard! She spoke in plural so there must be others!" she commanded Sari and Matsuri.

"R-Right!" the two kunoichi said.

"Ino, Hana, stay on your toes. We must not be harmed even if there's more than one medical nin on this squad," Shizune said.

"Right!" The two medical replied.

Anko looked about, thinking to herself, 'What an interesting fellow. Too bad (s)he played his hand too quickly.'

"Can we kill them onee-chama?" asked the youngest of the voices.

"Please, please, please?" asked the drunken voice.

"We have no choice!" the last said, sighing. Three shadows leaped into sight, revealing themselves to be the three women from before.

"Fuuton: Daitoppa (風遁:大突破 Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)!" the youngest of the trio shouted, performing hand seals that created a strong gust of wind that assaulted the kunoichi.

"Fuuton: Kama Kaze (風遁:カマ風 Wind Release: Divine Sickle)!" the second oldest of the trio shouted, performing hand seals that caused the kunoichi's clothes and skin to be cut by invisible blades of wind.

"Katon: Nankou o Nenshou (火遁:軟膏お燃焼 Fire Release: Burning Salve)!" the oldest of the trio said in soft tone as she formed the hand seals, causing all open cuts to burn as they were cauterized.

"You're so kind, closing their wounds like that!" the brown haired woman said cheerfully.

"No thanks to you, freak!" the oldest snarled angrily at her.

"That's not fair onee-chama! You always scold me when I call others bad names!" the youngest pouted.

"Yeah, Futamaruko was just trying to help!" The second eldest added.

"Come on, let's just have some fun!" the brown haired woman added. "We're under orders to not let any more outsiders interfere!"

"Mind not telling the enemy such crucial information, freak!" the eldest snarled angrily.

Meanwhile, the kunoichi were either rendered numb and lifeless by the intense pain of their wounds or busy healing their comrades as they used their quartet's bickering to their advantage.


	14. Tenten Tactics

Chapter 16: Tenten Tactics

Once Tenten had made Hinata had everything she needed to rest comfortably. Tenten readied herself for the upcoming battle, still blaming herself for allowing this all happen. If they had taken her on at once they would be have surely won, she told herself cursing the woman's polite words and respectful attitude to grand to allow the kunoichi to determine if she was secretly mocking them.

During the whole process Kawaki watched patiently, offering if she could help, provided they didn't ask her to heal Hinata back into a fighting state. They were grateful (or at least pretended to be) for her offer, but turned her down, leaving her with nothing else to do. She watched the weapon master tend the Hyuga's wounds while she heard a voice speak to her. _'You're a fool, Kawaki. You may have out matched the Hyuga, but the Weapon Master is a practically unknown. If your pride were to allow it, I could easily give you aid -'_ "Enough," Kawaki growled under her breath. "Unlike you, I fight honorably." 'I will not mourn you're death then.' the voice said, the speakers mental presence fading away. "Not like I would want you to," she muttered to herself. Her thoughts free of intrusion, she judged the leaf kunoichi's relationship. Not exactly a couple- at least not yet. She had already made herself an enemy from the weapon master she knew, but that couldn't be helped. At best Tenten will become the Hyuga's night in shining armor- if she managed to win. Kawaki didn't doubt there was truth in Inou's words. She had been a member of the leaf village one time and would know the strengths of each clan. She even had briefed Kawaki and the others on such clans though Tenten didn't match the common appearance of any of the clans who were mentioned. Their were other clans besides the Uchiha, the Hyuga, Inuzuka, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Aburame, Naara, and Sarutobi, but the unnamed clans were generally of little influence and importance . . . Yet for whatever reason Inou had placed her Ryo on Tenten. Why? She was hell-bent on finding out even if it meant her death.

"Prepare yourself!" Tenten said, drawing the scroll from her back. She studied the Taka kunoichi, trying to determine how Kawaki start the battle. From what she gathered from the battle, Kawaki was a close range fighter using grapples to immobilize her opponent and break their bones, leaving a close-mid ranged fighting style relying on touch-based attacks at a great advantage. As a mid-far range fighter styled after throwing blade weapons Tenten had the initial advantage. However Kawaki also used ninjutsu in addition to her Taijutsu much unlike most of her team, though most ninjutsu techniques were based around limiting her opponent's movement or strengthening her body, leaving the weapon master unsure if her opponent can adapt to her tactics. There was only one way to find out, Tenten decided. Leaping into her air, she summoned a series of projectile weapons from her scroll and threw them the rogue shinobi with lethal accuracy.

Kawaki didn't bother trying to strike first or set up a defense as she knew she knew next to nothing of the kunoichi's fighting style. However she was damn sure to try and dodge the projectiles thrown at her. Unfortunately the weapons were spaced to account for her trying to dodge and she didn't fully escape the barrage of steel without being cut. Luckily for her, it was only a flesh wound. Bringing her hands together in a series of seals, she spat liquid projectiles with the speed and strength of a bullet. "Water Style: Gunshot (水遁:鉄砲玉 Suiton: Teppoudama)."

'So you can fight at long range too,' Tenten thought as tumbled safely out of the way of the liquid bullets. Summoning another barrage of projectiles she sent them flying at Kawaki.

Kawaki leapt back only to remember that many of Tenten's early barrage were fuuma shuriken with more than one edge mid leap, forcing her to calculate a safe landing. Unfortunately her opponent had already launched the third attack as she heard the hissing of a exploding talisman burning. "Fu-" Kawaki began as she was engulfed in an explosion that sent steel shrapnel flying all about.

Tenten didn't stop to catch her breath as she nimbly landed, summoning a steel wall to shield her and Hinata, who laid behind her, from harm's way, releasing the exploding talismans on the second barrage in case the first had somehow failed to strike the enemy. She dispelled the wall and summoned another barrage into the smoke before it cleared just to be sure. She had the satisfaction of seeing Kawaki lying half-dead in a pool of her own blood, countless pieces of metal shrapnel and whole projectiles piercing her body.

"Very . . . clever . . . K-Konoha," Kawaki hissed between rasps of pain and bloody coughs. "Am . . . Am I that predictable?"

"No, but I knew you would act rationally. Even if you had leapt in an unusual direction, you'd still be caught in the explosion and your wounds wouldn't be any significantly less," the kunoichi a said, summoning a kama to her hand as she approached her opponent. "Yield and I'll let you live long enough to heal your wounds, but we'll take you prisoner and have you interrogated. If you cooperate with us, we may even find a means to let you live."

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Kawaki chuckled before realizing a solemn sigh. "I fear I cannot do that. For amongst us 'Makai Miko', I'm with the weakest seal and it takes a large amount of concentration to hold the seal back. So close to death I fear-" her skin began to turn green as she grew a tough scaly hide and her wounds closed. "- our battle is only starting."

Tenten leaped back as she realized what was happening. The battle with the possessed Mimi was fresh in her memory and she didn't look forward to what she would find. She had only one hope, but the sight of the woman's rapidly closing wounds made her wander. She threw the kama she held at the kunoichi as she swiftly drew back.

Pushing herself onto hands and knees, Kawaki swatted away one kama with her arm without being injured before she felt something into her side. Looking down, she found it was another kama whose blade was ledged deep. Kawaki was amazed the kunoichi had the time to throw a second kama in the same motion as the first, hiding the second in the first's shadow via the Shadow Shuriken Technique (影手裏剣の術 Kage Shuriken no Jutsu) especially considering that the kunoichi had managed to do this with a pair of weapons not easily concealed within each other and not even designed for ranged combat. When she reached down to remove the weapon with the arm had blocked the first kama to find a nearly invisible wire wrapped about it, trapping it.

Tenten flicked a finger causing the kama lodged in Kawaki's side to be removed, revealing to the already wounded woman that the blade was barbed as it took flesh with her. Tenten pulled the same hand back to catch the kama, causing the wire wrapped about the Taka kunoichi's arm to be pulled taught, cutting into her flesh with razor sharpness.

Kawaki howled in pain, unconsciously pulling her trapped arm back and allowing the wire to cutting through flesh and bone. Kawaki shrieked painfully, clutching her dismembered arm as ichor pulsed from both halfs of the cut, mingling to pull the arm back before condensing in a black scab that ran the entire edge of the cut. The fingers of the formerly dismembered arm twitched as they returned to life from a very short death.

Tenten acknowledge the woman's healing capability mentally as she sent a barrage of projectiles at the kunoichi with deadly precision. Each were equally barbed and spread far enough that there was only one direction she could move. Back.

The woman hissed at the weapon master unintelligibly as her eyes turned yellow with slits for pupils and her nose and mouth merged into a hard beak. What little clothes on her torso was torn away as she sprouted a turtle shell. Webbing grew between her fingers and toes. The hair at the top of her head fell away as the exposed scalp caved in to form a bowl to which she filled with water from a gourd she summoned from thin air.

Hinata who had been watching the battle with her Byakugan noticed the woman's high chakra surge when the water was applied. "Tenten run!" she shouted, but it was too late. Her monstrous transformation completed, she charged Tenten. The weapon master summoned several more projectiles from her scroll and threw them the same deadly accuracy, only for them to bounce of off the woman's scaled body harmlessly. Too surprised in the sudden change in power, she had no time to try and escape as the woman grappled mid-charge.

"Kappa Style: Charge! (河童流:担当 Kappa Ryu Tantou)" The woman shouted as she shoved Tenten forward. Stopping immediately and releasing the weapon master, the kunoichi flew fast and hard into the wall far behind her. She fell to the ground gasping for air and stunned from impact, leaving her defenseless as the Taka kunoichi grabbed her by the leg and began to spin about. "Kappa Style: Spin Cycle! (河童流:スピン周期 Kappa Style: Spin Cycle)" Releasing Tenten, she was thrown across the room into the next wall. Jarred once more, Tenten was helpless to fight back as the woman lifted her bruised and sore body overhead. Without loosing a moment, she threw the kunoichi to the ground with unimaginably painful impact.

"TENTEN!" Hinata screamed, struggling to get up, but her broken bones shot pain too intense for her to endure, forcing her back down. Her eyes were clouded by tears that streamed down her face.

Yet, despite the beating the kunoichi just suffered, Tenten smiled. "You're too kind," she said, rolling onto her stomach so that she could prompt herself onto hands and knees.

"You have very strong bones," Kawaki said in awe. "Not even the strength of the hero's water was able to harm you greatly. Please tell me why before I send you to Yomi."

"You must not your own strength," Tenten said with a sly smile. "Sure you bruised my skeleton pretty badly, but it would be a strength to say you had the strength to break my bones- not with my poison coursing through your veins."

"Poison?" Kawaki asked, curious.

"I've fought somebody who had enough strength to wave an oversize fan efficient enough to knock airborne projectiles out of harm's way. I've even heard she could cut down a whole forest with that same fan so I figured I'd be totally screw if I ever fought an opponent with that much strength (not to mention powerhouses like Gai-sensei and Lee). I had the best medical nin I could find craft a very special poison designed to sap away the strength of whoever ingested it and coated it on all my weapons. Luckily for me it doesn't seem like your transformation purges itself of ailments," Tenten said rising to her feet. "Even now you only have the strength to stand because of your 'hero's water'. It's only a matter of time before that runs out-"

"Thanks for explaining your tactics, Konoha, but maybe you should have waited until after I'm helpless," Kawaki says, grabbing Tenten by the head and crushing her skull with all the strength she had. The kunoichi blood fell in . . . wooden splinters as she transformed into a log. Suddenly the transformed woman fell to the ground as her feet were swept from beneath her. The water in her domed bowl spilled out, draining the woman of her strength as she stared helplessly up at Tenten who stood over her with a quarterstaff.

"I don't need to," Tenten said with a triumphant smile. "I don't much about this 'Hero's Water' of yours, but I do know a thing about youkai. You better transform back before you die."

Kawaki sighed. "I'm sorry child, but that is impossible. I can't control my seal. If you want me to heal your friend, you will need to carry her over to me. I barely have enough strength for a few minutes before I die like this. I will not die without keeping my promises."

Tenten nodded and strolled over where Hinata laid. Lifting the kunoichi gently, she carried the Hyuga to Kawaki where the Taka kunoichi raised her arms weakly, forming hand seals with difficulty due to her webbed fingers before placing her hands over the areas of Hinata's body where the bones were broken. Grabbing the bones with barely any strength she set the bones so that the chakra flowing into kunoichi's body would mend the bones properly. Hinata whimpered from the pain, but held the urge to scream outright. Tenten unconsciously petted Hinata's head soothingly having offered to use her own lap to pillow the Hyuga's head. Once when the Taka kunoichi was finished with one bone, she moved to the next until the kunoichi's body was completely healed. "I suggest not putting any stress on those bones for a few hours and getting some sleep," she said to Hinata with a weak, rasping voice. "Konoha-san, if you truly care for her, don't let this ever happen again. Pride and honor are great things, but they are meaningless in war." With this she closed her eyes. Her breathing grew shallow and not before long she chest stopped rising and falling altogether, leading the kunoichi to believe she had died.

Tenten kneeled her head and gave silent prayer, startled when the woman threw open her eyes to exclaim, "Before I die, I should warn you. The strongest amongst us are those who love each other more than anyone else!" Closing her eyes, the kunoichi, closed her eyes again and stopped breathing.

"I-Is she dead?" Tenten asked poking the Taka kunoichi with the tip of her kunai. When she got no response, she bowed her head again and gave a silent prayer while remembering what her opponent said. Realizing the kunoichi had essentially exposed Tenten's feelings for Hinata she looked at the Hyuga, her mind struggling to think of an explanation. Seeing the Hyuga had fallen fast and silently asleep, Tenten sighed in relief. "That was close," she said to herself. She listened to the sound of rain as she tried to decipher her opponent's last warning. "I will protect you with my life," she vowed to the unconscious kunoichi.

* * *

-Teams Suna & Konoha-

Temari sneezed as she and her allies took shelter behind her fan.

"Have you caught a cold?" Sari asked as she and Matsuri leaped from the cover of the oversized fan to throw kunai at the unusual quarter. They barely had time to scramble back behind the fan before the youngest of the sister had forced the projectiles back with a wind based technique and the second sister barraged with cutting wind. The eldest, having no wounds to close spent her time arguing with the oddly named brown haired woman.

"Don't ridiculous!" Temari said, spitting. "We need to counter attack. They've caught us off guard, but we have the advantage of numbers."

"Hana, use Fang Passing Fang with the Haimaru Brothers to burrow beneath the enemies. Anko use Hidden Shadow Snake Hands to immobilize them! Ino use your Mind Clone Switch Technique to find matter information you can! Temari, Sari and Matsuri will act as a distraction!" Shizune commanded.

"Right!" the other kunoichi replied simultaneously.

Lifting the fan, Temari swung the fan with all her strength. "Wind Style: Cast Net! (風遁:掛け網 Fuuton: Kakeami)" A net of razor sharp wind flew out at the four kunoichi.

Shizune pulled up the sleeve of one of her arms, revealing a needle launcher from which she launched poisoned needles.

Sari and Matsuri threw their kunai and shuriken into the mix.

Futamaruko reached into her kimono and pulled two golden balls, the same ones that the kunoichi had been holding and tossed them at the incoming attacks. "Tanuki Style: Giant Gold Balls! (狸流:巨大金玉 Tanukii Ryuu: Kyodai Kin-Dama!)" The golden balls grew in size until they were the size of massive boulders and landed in between them, protecting the quartet from harm- excluding Futamaruko who crutched her groin as the attacks damaged balls of gold. "My balls, why did you do that to my balls!" She whimpered.

"You idiot you were the one who put them in harm's way!" the eldest of the sisters said to the woman.

"Kiss them and make the pain go away!" Futamaruko begged, looking to the oldest sister with large, doe eyes.

The eldest sister's face turned a deep crimson. "L-Like I'll do something so gross, you perverted freak!" She shouted in embarrassment.

"But they hurt so much! And those needles gotta being poisoned! Suck the poison out!" Futamaruko cried.

"G-Go to Hell!" the oldest sister screamed, her face growing a darker shade of red.

"Um Oneesama, Futamaruko's balls are in the way," whined the youngest sister.

"Don't worry, Futa-kun-chan, I will take care of you in my prudish sister's place," the middle sister said seductively.

"Now's your chance!" Temari shouted and the three kunoichi yet to act replied with "Roger!"

Hana and her three ninken leaped into the air and began spin at rapid speeds, "Fang Passing Fang! (牙通牙 Gatsuga)" Drilling into the ground, they tunneled beneath the quartet before emerging, forcing the kunoichi to leap away though of the four spinning forces accidentally nicked the golden balls, causing Futamaruko to whimper.

Anko followed after the spinning kunoichi and ninja dogs, forming her hand seals before releasing countless snakes from her sleeves to wrap about the four women and bind them in place. "Hidden Shadow Snake Hands! (潜影蛇手 Sen'eijashu)" Ino was not more than seconds behind Mitarashi, performing the hand seals and shooting her mind out of her body, forking in different pieces and striking the restrained women, relying on the snakes that were binding the kunoichi to catch Ino has her body fell listless. "That was easy," Anko commented, smiling.

However both Temari and Shizune knew something was wrong. "That was too easy," Temari commented. "We must stay on our guard," Shizune added in agreement.

* * *

-Location Unknown-

Far from the abandoned house by which the Makai Miko were using as a base of operations sat a cliff from which a waterfall descended into a winding river below. Close inspection would reveal that this cliff was artificially made ages ago and behind the waterfall the entrance to a cave was hidden. The cave's interior was lightly furnished by what little items its current residents had on them or could gather from the land, allowing for a sense of comfort away from the annoyances of their allies. No one else knew of this cave's location though it one of their allies could easily locate them _mentally_.

Kouri Yuki sat seiza style, stroking Konoki's long black hair as the swordswoman laid by her, her head resting of the girl's lap. She had not been born in the Land of Water- her parents having fled to the Land of Frost in fear of prosecution for their bloodline traits, but she had always dreamt and wandered what her parent's homeland was like. Her first meeting with Nashido Konoki was one she wouldn't likely forget. Having found the swordswoman lying outside half-covered in the snow, not even dressed for the cold and dying as a result. Out of the kindness of her heart, Kouri had brought the woman woman, struggling to carry the woman whose own muscles weighed the poor girl down. Out of some miracle they had managed to reach her home in time to save the fleeting life of freezing swordswoman.

Her parents were at first pleased to hear their daughter's good deed, but any hospitability they had for Konoki was gone as soon as they recognized the symbol on her forehead protector. They offered as much as they dared to allow the rogue to recover, but as soon as she was able to survive on her own they had ask rather coldly to leave, much to the confusion to Kouri. Having spent several days nursing the swordswoman to health, she had listened to several tales of the Land of Water and Village Hidden in the Mist during the hours the renegade was awake. Though her parents had warned her to not trust anything the woman said, she was taken by every word and worse yet absolutely smitten when the swordswoman, half-conscious and unable to keep her thoughts to herself, commented on beautiful the Yuki maiden was.

The night following Konoki's leave, Kouri laid awake unable to sleep and contemplating the daring fantasies that absorbed her waking thoughts. When she was sure her parents were fast asleep, she made her move. Gathering all she would need to survive the snow and what little money her parents had, she attempted to leave her home without being caught. Alas her parents were lying in wait for her and were not pleased with her. When she declared she would runaway any chance she got, her mother sought to smack some sense into her. Frightful, the girl tried to defend herself, accidentally awakening her dormant powers. Her father was horrified at watching his wife killed by ice his daughter had conjured unconsciously and tried to flee. He did not get far before her powers, acting on her hysterical subconscious desire to protect herself, brought her father down. Watching both of her parents die at her own hands, the girl fled and left the little village she had grown up in to wherever her feet took her. Only when she was too tired to run anymore did she find herself before Konoki who sat under a tree roasting a snow hare over a measly fire. The swordswoman didn't bother to ask what had happened, instead offered the girl some water and the roasted rabbit instead, telling her, "Eat child. The road before us is long and harsh." Thus began their life as criminals, a road both bitter and sweet.

"I understand," Kouri replied in response to receiving the news of Kawaki's fate and Byoshi's orders mentally from Inou. Leaning down, she kissed the Swordswoman on the cheek, rousing her from her peaceful slumbering.

Konoko did not ask what to what was happening, but instead stood up, stretching. Lifting the replica of the guillotine sword, she hefted it about in practice swings before tossing it aside. She knew more than anybody that the cheap toy had no place in battle and would sooner break if enough pressure was applied. Instead she located a heavy iron club covered in spikes half way up. She tore away her bandages to place a porcelain oni mask over her face. Tying a tiger pelt loincloth over pleated pants and pulling a tiger pelt vest over closing fighting shirt, she looked to Kouri who regarded her in confusion and said, "If they are strong enough to defeat Kawaki, then I'll likely be forced to release the seal."

"I was just thinking it was such a long time since I've seen you like that, Konoki-sama," Kouri said, getting to her feet and striding elegantly to the swordswoman and leaning against. Standing on her toes and removing Konoki mask, she kissed the woman on the lips. "In case we do not end up in the same place when die."

Konoki threw her head back in deep, chuckling laughter as she wrapped her muscular arms around the maiden's lithe body. "You're too good for me, child!"


	15. Snow Flakes and Lilies

Chapter 17: Snow Flakes and Lilies

The kunoichi made camp where the inn had be, taking an unexpected opportunity to interrogate them. Ino spent nearly an hour with each, digging about their memories for any information that could give any help. Finishing up with the last of them she struggled to keep herself standing as her legs had grown weak from exhaustion. If not for Temari who had put a steadying hand on the kunoichi, she would have collapsed.

"What did you find?" Temari inquired, helping the medical nin sit down.

"It was difficult, but it appears that they are allied whoever is invading Yuri no Kuni."

Temari looked at her disappointedly. "Is that all? You were gone for a long time."

"I'm sorry, but there memories weren't easy to read. They were disorganized or too vague to make heads or tails. I wish I could have gotten seen their allies' faces, but it appears they never met anyone else in person. Somebody they call 'Ningyo' only delivered messages through life-like humanoid puppets and never with the same puppet as last time.

"Life-like humanoid puppets?" Temari asked.

"Yes, they looked so real you could have mistaken them for a real person," Ino stated shaking her head. "I certainly thought they were actual people . . ."

"Is something wrong Temari?" Sari asked, seeing the color drain from her superior's face.

"If what you say is true Yamanaka, these puppets might have been made from the corpses of actual humans," Temari grimly.

"You mean like Sasori of the Red Sands?" Matsuri asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"There's only one means to find out. We'll have to capture one of these puppets and perform an autopsy," Shizune stated.

"If that's the case then maybe we should these guys go," Anko said, smirking cleverly.

"Are you sure that's a wise idea?" Hana asked, the Haimaru brothers growling their concern.

"I've got a plan," Anko said slyly.

.-Yurishen Barracks, Private Quarters-

Shinai sat tied to a chair, countless soldiers standing steadfast around the walls, as Itamu. "Weedling, I do not have the time to play any mind games with you so you are going to tell me what I want even if I have to retrieve the information directly from your dissected brain. Understand?" the Iwa kunoichi in a grave tone, the lighting casting her eyes in shadows for an eerie effect.

"You don't need to threaten me. I'm as good as dead for getting captured. If I tell cry out every little secret I know, can I get your insurance that you will protect me from them?" Shinai said, looking Itamu in the eye.

"If you prove cooperative enough, I will see that you will survive long enough to be punished for your crimes, but no longer," Itamu replied.

"Good. Got any suggestions where I should start?" Shinai did her best to make herself comfortable in the bonds.

"How many members does your organization contain?" Itamu asked.

Shinai sighed and took a deep breath before speaking, "More than I can keep count and don't think I'm boasting or anything! We pick up folks you and I wherever we go, offering them shelter and safe harbor. Not that most of them survive the binding. The youkai we sealed into our bodies take a high toll on the body and let's just say we've got a saying: 'A week for the weak.' Of course surviving the process doesn't mean one's strong either. Some youkai mesh better with their hosts. In short, it's easier to list you the ones I know."

"Then do so," Maisouko was short and straight to the point.

"Besides myself, I was dispatched with a fatty, an bipolar bitch and honorable moron in search of a wayward puppy. Who I'm talking about is Akimichi Kuchiki, the owner of the Futakuchi-Onna, Kouryuu (surname unknown), the owner of the Ame-Onna, Kawaka (surname unknown), the owner of the kappa, and Inuzuka Mimi, the owner of the inugami. These four (five counting myself) are green as spring grass and weeds that are easily rooted compared to the others."

"Move on," Itamu responded.

"Well let's start with the ones who you never want to meet without a small army to get your back: Nashido Konoki. I heard she followed that Kiri rogue, you know the demon of the mist and admired him more than any person should down to imitating him, but that's nothing. She possesses the oni and the fact she hasn't gone mad from it's constant whispering of massacre and destruction proves how twisted she is. It's only rumor, but I've heard she doesn't shy away from doing what she deems necessary to survive . . . Killing comrades, devouring the dead, killing anyone who catches her stealing. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't have a record for criminal activity before fleeing with Zabuza. Now that may not sound so scary, but personally I'm glad to be born a woman. I hear she takes a particular joy in torturing men."

"If you're implying castration, I've seen worse things done to women- things I will perform on you if you don't skip the fluff. I need stats, techniques, weaknesses, particular habits and routines," Itamu growled impatiently.

"If that's what you want, then you might want to get something to write on," Panda with a slight smirk on her face.

.-Abandoned Dojo-

Hinata did not remember when she lost consciousness, but she remembered the pain she was in and wondered if she had been dreaming- that was at least until she saw the monstrous body of Kawaki lying lifelessly only a few feet away. Faintly remembering the pain of her bones being set back in place, she grimaced at how useless she was in fight against Kawaki. She had trying so hard to become stronger, be like _him_, but it seemed like it was never enough. She wasn't a genius like Neji and she didn't have Naruto's undying determination. Her father had gone even disinherit her because he thought she was too weak to lead the Hyuga clan. 'Maybe you should kill yourself.'

Hinata sat up quickly, alarmed by hearing a voice that sounded like her own, but was somehow different. It was no doubt the same voice that had been feeding her those doubts from before. Seeing no one else besides Tenten who appeared to have fallen asleep sitting beside her, she activated her Byakugan and scanned the walls and floors of the dojo. It did not take her long for her near 360 degree vision to catch sight of another person, the chakra flowing between their tenketsu glowing like a neon light. Getting to her feet and the palms of her hand together she shot a burst of air at the wall where the intruder seemed be behind, blowing a whole in the wall and causing a cloud of smoke to come pouring through as the intruder's chakra disappeared. 'A shadow clone?' Hinata thought to herself before her wear legs buckled beneath her.

"Are you alright?" Tenten asked as she caught the falling Hyuga. She had fallen asleep listening to the sound of the rain and only recently awaken to the sound of wood shattering.

"I'm fine. I-I just thought I heard something," Hinata said quietly.

"The enemy?" Tenten asked.

Hinata nodded. "It's gone . . . I think it was just a shadow clone."

"Scouts! We better get prepared. We can't afford another stupid mistake," Tenten said grabbing her scroll.

"I'm sorry," Hinata said shamefully.

"I should be the one apologizing. You only got hurt because I bought into that bullshit about honor! If we fought her together, we could have minimized our injuries!" Tenten replied. "I can never forgive myself letting this happen to you . . ."

"I-I'm sure that Neji-niisan would understand," Hinata said sheepishly, surprised at depressed Tenten had become. She had knew very little of the kunoichi her cousin trained with, but whenever she saw them together she seemed quite happy.

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT NEJI!" Tenten shouted in an unexpected burst of anger. Only once she spoke she regretted yelling, seeing the bewildered and confused look on Hinata face. Any other girl her age would have been on the verge of tears, but Hinata showed no signs of crying. If it was the one thing she knew well was the trials the young heiress had suffered. After all Neji never forgave himself for nearly killing Hinata during the Chunin Exams and would spend any moment he had alone with Tenten to tell her about it and more. She had no right to focus all of her pent up anger and frustration at her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Tears spilt down the weapon master's cheeks unbidden as she apologize.

Hinata didn't understand what was going on, but she knew that one of her comrades was in pain. Cautiously she wrapped her arms around Tenten and rubbed her back comfortingly. Tenten hands released their grip so that she could return the embrace. Hinata didn't know why, but she felt all of her worries and fears melt away, going as far as releasing her Byakugan. She knew this wasn't the time to rest, but she knew there was no Tenten could fight with whatever weight she carried on her shoulders. She wished she could know what it was, but she doubted Tenten would tell her anything. She was fine that, as long as she could help Tenten feel better.

Tenten didn't want to let go of Hinata. The smell of her alone was intoxicating, not to mention feeling the Hyuga's ample chest pressed against her own, smaller chest. If she could control time, she would live this moment for the rest of her life, but she knew she didn't have the time to adhere to such luxuries. They had no idea when the enemy would attack again. It didn't help that it had gotten so cold since the last time she had been awake. It felt enough to snow. It was then she realized she couldn't hear the soft pattern of the falling acidic rain. Opening her eyes, she saw small white flakes falling through the holes in the roof. She didn't know how the weather could change so sporadically, but she could guess and that was enough to send a cold chill up her spine. "We got to get out of here now!"

.

"The snow told me she should be around here," Kouri said, pointing to a human shaped lump in the snow. Konoki punched her hand into the snow mound dragged Kouryu's body from the snow, holding her by the throat. "Had a nice nap?" Konoki asked the half dead woman.

"I-I hate the snow. I hate the sun. I hate any day where it doesn't rain," groaned Kouryu said in soulless manner. "Why did you make it snow?"

"Why? Do you think anybody except you can walk into wretched rain of yours unscathed? You've failed to kill the enemy and you've failed to die by their hands. Now it's time you die- by our hands," Konoki snarled as tightened her grip. Kouryu began to claw at the muscular kunoichi's hands in a futile attempt of resistance, but her hands soon fell away her windpipe was crushed and her life ended. Konoki dropped the lifeless corpse into the snow and moved her now freed hand to the handle of her kanobo. "Don't worry. We will be sending you some company soon! Yuki, take me to where that fool Kawaki lies. If we're lucky, we'll be able catch our prey by surprise."

"I fear that may not be an option. I've already detect movement within the snow from where Kawaki is reported to have gone. It is likely they've already caught on to us and trying to flee," Kouri said, closing her eyes and forming a hand seal. "If you desire it, I can them off and hold until you can catch up. They shouldn't difficult to handle since Kawaki exhausted one and injured the other."

"If they want to run, then let them. We'll just hunt them down and pounce once they can't run any father. It'll be more fun that way!"

-Unknown Village of the Land of Lilies-

"I wonder what happened to the villagers," Hinata said as the kunoichi made their way through the eerily silent snow covered streets. As she learned with her Byakugan there was next to no signs of life save for the rats and stray animals that were seen once awhile, slinking from ally to ally or digging up something from under three feet of snow.

"I don't know, but we're better off here than back in the dojo," Tenten replied, eying a building that appeared to be a storehouse. "We should gather as much supplies as we can find and find someplace to get some rest. We don't know when the enemy will strike."

"Right," Hinata said before the too of them fell into silence as they continued to scout the village.

Tenten sighed inwardly. Here she was alone with a girl she was likely falling for and she try to make a move on her without not only fearing being rejected, but also not knowing when they were going to fight again. However the silence was unnerving her and she needed to do something, but what?

"Tenten-san . . ." Hinata said quietly.

"Yes?" Tenten asked grateful for something to take her mind off her worries.

"Every since I've come to this land . . . I've felt lost," Hinata said, staring off into the distant horizon.

"Lost?" Tenten asked, unsure what the Hyuga meant.

"In the academy, we were taught that when we become adults it would be our duty to support the next generation. To do this, we kunoichi must find husbands and have children . . ." she said in a quiet tone, an expression of worry on her face.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Tenten asked. She knew she could have easily answered her own question, but she wanted to hear what Hinata wanted to say.

"N-no; not really. It's just that there are no men here and the women . . ." Hinata blushed as she left the sentence fall unfinished. "H-how does the people of this land support the next generation?"

Tenten was dumbstruck as realized she had no answer to the kunoichi's question. It intrigued her as well as angered her. It felt as though she knew the answer, but not recall what it was. After some thought, she admitted sheepishly, "I don't know."

"What if someone doesn't want to get married or have children?" Hinata asked. "What if, like the women who live hear, want to, want to . . ."

"Love another woman?" Tenten asked.

Hinata blushed a brighter shade of red and nodded.

"I'm not sure, but I think the reason this country can remain the it is, because the other countries don't have an answer to your questions. They don't really think it's worth answering them so they act as though those questions don't exist. This country exists so that people who want answers can find them. Women who want to love other women. Women who don't want to follow the rules of society. Women who don't care for the next generation!" Tenten said not knowing where she was going or why she was saying this, but it felt it was the right thing to do. Looking down, she noticed for the first time that the kunoichi were holding hands.

"Tenten-san, do you have feelings for me?" Hinata asked nervously.

"I -uh, you see, I mean -er . . ." Tenten stuttered, her failing to come up with the deep, thoughtful words she had just moments ago.

"I might be falling in love with you," Hinata said, squeezing Tenten's hand.

Tenten looked at the kunoichi's face in shocked confusion. Before Tenten could find her voice to reply she could something move out of the corner of her eye. Tackling Hinata to the ground, evading a kanabo that swung overhead intending to shatter their bones. Looking up she saw Konoki and Kouri, the latter emerging from the reflective surface of a icy mirror.

"Welcome to _Hell_!" Konoki exclaimed with a gleeful tone.


End file.
